Happy Turkey Day!

So much to be thankful for!!  Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Top Five Healthy Skin "Musts" for Winter

Vitamin E Oil- I have a bottle on my bedside table, a bottle in my shower, and a bottle by my kitchen sink.  A dime-size amount goes a long way and helps cracked, dry skin (Bonus Tip: Put on Vitamin E oil before you put on your dish gloves to clean your dishes- the gloves will seal in the moisture while you finish up the dish chores- which seem to be never ending in our home!).  Read more about my love affair with Vit E here.

Humidifier- Now that the cold weather is here, the heaters are on at full tilt in my home.  Between the dry heat that sucks up whatever moisture we have in our home and the dry cold of the season, my skin gets completely depleted of environmental moisturization.  As soon as the heat comes on in our home, the humidifiers come out (make sure to empty the water daily and to give it a good rinse with some white vinegar once a week).  I love this humidifier- I actually have THREE (one in each bedroom).  Easy to clean and simple to use!

Turn Down the Temperature in the Shower- ok, this is so hard for me, mostly because there is nothing more indulgent in my life than a steamy hot shower, privacy, and, if I am really being greedy, silence (it's the mom in me, what can I say??).  But the hot hot showers that I love so much are actually damaging my skin by removing natural skin oils.  While this isn't normally a problem, combine hot showers with the dry heat and frigid cold...formula for complete skin dehydration.  While your shower shouldn't be cold, try to keep it at a moderate temperature (Bonus Tip: Don't use the exhaust fan- keep the bathroom door open and let the steam from your shower humidify your home).  Read more about making your shower your sanctuary here.

Drink More Water- In the summer months it is easy to remember to push the fluids but hydration from the inside out is just as important in winter months if you want to keep your skin healthy.  The change in seasons and the dry heat literally suck the moisture out of our skin.  Keeping your body hydrated on the inside will help mitigate moisture loss.

Exercise- Earth Shattering Secret--> The fountain of youth is diet and exercise.  While I've been known to go into winter hibernation mode and consider weight gain as nature's way of "personal winterization", a sedentary lifestyle is no good.  Skin thrives on healthy fluid circulation within the body- helping with drainage and eliminating fluid retention which can lead to swelling and puffiness. So even though it might be freezing outside, throw on some snow boots and go for a walk or hunker down at the gym for a morning (all the more reason if they offer free child care...just sayin' :)


And one more thing:  When seasons shift it is a great time to re-evaluate your skincare routine.  Now that we are officially into the winter months, you should consider a thicker cream to help serve as a barrier between your skin and the elements.  I'm still obsessed with my Obagi Hydrate!

"Do As Little As Possible As Much As Possible"

The trick to aging gracefully- do as little as possible as much as possible.

Did you hear this on TODAY the other day?  Kathie Lee was talking about her dermatologist's recommendation for youthful looking skin.

I love this lesson!  And I live it everyday!  I am in my 30's- the perfect time to start a more pro-active approach for graceful aging. I don't necessarily need any major procedures, but if I keep a good skincare routine, using effective products like hyaluronic serums, retinols and an occasional chemical peel, I can hold off on the more invasive procedures.

That's the great thing about today's topical treatments!  Surgeons are seeing a major shift from invasive surgical procedures to topical treatments because the quality of these products has increased greatly!  Invest in a few staple topical creams, buy a package of chemical peels (two times a year is fine, once a season is great, once a quarter is ideal!), and you will be on your way to maintaining your youthful appearance!

Weekly Workout Motivation

Happy Monday everyone!  Here is a sneak peak to this week's workout schedule!  

This Weeks Workout Goals:
Monday- 20 min run outdoors (This warm weather is great!)
Tuesday- Rest 
Wednesday- Gym- 30mins on treadmill.  Arms.
Thurday- Eat Turkey!
Friday- Try to motivate and get off the couch for a slow post turkey trot
Saturday- Rest
Sunday- Rest

Make Your Shower Your Sanctuary

If you are a busy mom like me, your showers are probably an exercise in efficiency.  After many attempts at hiding from my kids in the shower, I soon realized there was no escape so I eventually learned how to shower in under 5 minutes flat- while it's impressive, it's also, well, sad.

Now that my kids are old enough (sort of) to keep themselves entertained in my childproof (sort of) upstairs, I've allowed myself a few more minutes of shower indulgence- opting to outfit my salle de bain with some stellar beauty brands (that won't break the bank)!


Here are my shower perks! Do you have any to share?

1. Kate Somerville Exfolikate* (note: this stuff is GOOD.  Like REALLY REALLY GOOD.  Go easy with it and use once or twice a week!)
2. Ivory with Aloe- I absolutely love the fresh scent of Ivory body wash and now that we are in the winter months, I'll take any soap that has Aloe or extra moisturization properties!
3. Vitamin E Oil- you.know.this.  I swear by this and I have even added a THIRD bottle to my bedside. 
4. Jergen's Natural Glow- because nothing makes winter worse than having pale winter skin.
5. Aquaphor- I use this on my lips.  It started out as a "Diaper Bag Beauty" essential and now it is part of my post-shower pampering!

*I am a huge loyalist when it comes to Kate Somerville products.  I use plenty of the fancy schmancy med-spa quality stuff but Kate Somerville's products always leave me impressed and really enable consumers to bring the spa experience home with them.  Big thumbs up for her products from this mama!

Note: This is not a sponsored post.

Do you have any beauty tips that you want to share with other busy moms!  Send them to katekarmama@gmail.com.  I'll give them a try and share!

Do you Dare to Dermaplane?!

This polar vortex is already doing a number on my skin!  I am staying loyal to my skincare rituals, but I am fearful of what this winter weather will bring!

Scrolling through some of my media mailings, I saw a note about Dermaplaning.  I've heard about this procedure, but something about a razor grazing off the top layer of my skin kind of turned me off.


However, as that top layer of skin hardens and dulls with winter's effects, I think I might reconsider. Here's a blurb on dermaplaning from The Plastic Surgery Group of Albany, NY.

Dermaplaning

This gentle skin resurfacing procedure exfoliates the top layer of dead skin cells. A special surgical blade is gently and carefully run across the surface of the skin. In addition to promoting skin cell renewal, dermaplaning improves penetration of professional and home products for the skin. Dermaplaning also removes facial hair, making it a great way to get rid of "peach fuzz." As with many of our services, we recommend a series of dermaplaning treatments to maximize results.

Would you try it...hmm...maybe I should wait until spring and "shave away" winter's damage!

Seriously! No More Monkeys Jumping On The Bed!!

Last night the little guy played a game of "monkey see, monkey do" and jumped off his brother's toddler bed.

The poor little guy did something to his foot.  Although he wasn't in acute pain, he left out a little whimper every time he tried to put weight on it 😔.  A little wounded cub.

He managed to limp and crawl after his brother- attempting to climb up on the bed again.

It was bedtime and since he didn't appear to be in pain, we put him down and decided to take him into the urgent care center if he was still limping in the morning.

Welp, he was still limping in the morning so off to the doctor we went.

Miraculously, from the time I put him in the car seat to the moment JUST before X-Rays were taken, he was healed- running up and down the halls of the medical office.

Mom never wins!  Glad he is well and back to his busy self but I'm fairly certain I've been tagged as a hypochondriac!

 

Weekly Workouts Coming Soon...

My oldest was up coughing a lot last night so I kept both boys home this morning. This meant scrambling (but so grateful) for a sitter to watch the boys while I went to a (long overdue) doctors appointment.

It's also pouring here in north Jersey.  I wish I could have gotten a run in (weeks are much more challenging when I don't start off with our regular routine!), but instead of harping on being out of sync, just going to embrace this lack of control, enjoy my afternoon decaf coffee while my little guy naps, and listen to Curious George while I surf the Internet for good reads!

And in doing so, I came across this- great insights on how to be a happier person!

Friday Funny

Some days we're media-free.  Other days we're "my son is watching Mickey Mouse Club marathons in Russian- so he's totally going to be bilingual". #justification #goodforlanguagedevelopment #orsomething

Collagen Boosting Foods

Want to fight aging from the inside?  Add these items to your diet to boost collagen production and increase antioxidant intake!

Collagen and elastin help keep your skin plump and dewy which makes it harder for your skin to wrinkle and fold!

And antioxidants are so important in fighting those free radicals that destroy collagen and elastin!!  Eat up!

• Dark Green Vegetables (no surprise here)
• Beans (I talked about hyaluronic acid in yesterday's post.  Turns out beans are full of this!)
• Prunes (Antioxidants and healthy digestion!)
• Blueberries (Antioxidants)
• Flaxseed (I add a tablespoon to my morning yogurt!)
• Chocolate (you're welcome)

And...
ICYMI:
A big "THANK YOU" to everyone who has taken a minute to like, comment, share, and view my Quirky idea.  I am really hoping that we can develop this product and it's because of your interest and encouragement that it might actually happen!

Looking for continued Quirky love and support.  Follow the links below to learn more about my submission :)  THANKS!

• I'm sharing a link to my video here so you can get a better idea of the product
• And here is a link to my idea outline

Some Quirky Love- Call to Action, Please :)

As many of you know, I have made it to the "Explore" phase for Quirky!  As I wait to be slotted and scheduled for deeper exploration, I have had plenty of time to think about how helpful my Magnetic Mesh Laundry Bag would be for so many different groups.

It was while I was deep in the weeds of new motherhood, grasping at items that promised better sleep or longer stretches of contentment, that I realized how much of an inconvenience laundry was when coupled with the demands of being a parent.  Laundry was absolutely impossible to do while you had a baby in your arms and yet, an essential chore that had to be completed sometime between naps and (every-two-hour) feedings.

It was through the constant up/down and the heavy and awkward lifting and pulling from my bottom washer up to my stackable dryer that I realized just how much work was involved in laundry- impossible for mothers recovering from c-sections and just a major pain in the butt for moms with no time and, most often, working with an infant in their arms.  But strangely, it was clean laundry that helped me feel like I was keeping it somewhat together...

Everything was done in steps with each transition pain-point being a tick on my "to do" list.

1. Collect laundry from bedrooms
2. Bring laundry down two flights of stairs to basement
3. Load laundry into washer
4. Return upstairs and pick up the random sock and underwear I dropped on my way down
5. Transfer laundry to dryer (hand over hand over hand, bend to pick up dropped sock off basement/dungeon floor and wonder if I should rewash that t-shirt after it landed in a cobweb)
6. Bring laundry up from basement
7. Leave in my bedroom for a week (and pick up dumped out basket no less than five times thanks to busy body babies!)
8. Sort laundry (and be completely bewildered that in that ENTIRE load of laundry, all I had was a pair of socks?  Seems unfair...)

And that's when I came up with my Quirky idea- a laundry bag that eliminated the frustrating transfer pain points and sorting demands.  My idea combined the common mesh laundry bag used for delicates with magnetic technology that allowed my bag to act like a "liner" on the wash bins, and it made laundry doing so.much.simpler.

And isn't that what every mom wants?  Simple solutions that save time so that she can enjoy being a mom while accomplishing important household tasks?

The more I developed this idea and talked about it amongst my friends, the more I realized how far reaching the product benefits were and how this product could impact consumers at so many different life stages- parents trying to simplify daily chores, laundromat users trying to keep laundry secure, and the elderly and/or handicapped who may struggle with the constant lifting and bending that's involved with laundry doing.

This post is really an opportunity for me to generate more interest and feedback on the idea.  I am waiting for Quirky's next move but I could really use your help in spreading the word about this potential product.  The more people who think that this could really help them in their daily life, the more likely this product will be manufactured (and the more likely my inventor dreams will become a reality :).

Now here's my call to action:
Can you share this post, spread the word, like a tweet, etc?  Generating buzz for this product is essential to understand how it will be received by consumers.  If you think this is an item you would use (as a mom, a college student, a caregiver, a laundromat users, etc), please like, share and talk about this idea!  Do you have feedback or insights that might make this idea better, log on to Quirky and become an influencer.

I'm sharing a link to my video here so you can get a better idea of the product
And here is a link to my idea outline

Many thank yous!  And fingers crossed for product development :)

Weekly Workouts

I've gotten a little off track these last few weeks- so hard to stick to a routine with travel and sick kiddos. But it's Monday and I got a nice slow run in under my belt- motivating me to get back on track for the week!!  So here's my plan!!







This Weeks Workout Goals:
Monday- 20 min run outdoors
Tuesday- Rest (if you count open playspace at Kidville "rest")
Wednesday- Gym- 30mins on treadmill.  Arms.
Thurday- Rest
Friday- Gym- 30 mins
Saturday- Date Day at the Squash Courts!
Sunday- 20 minute run


Hope you stay healthy this week! 

What's the Difference Between a Serum and a Moisturizer?

I was recently asked to explain the difference between a moisturizer and a serum.  It's actually a great question for someone who is just starting a skincare routine.  Here's my answer:

Moisturizers or creams tend to reside on the skin's surface and serve as one part moisturizer and one part barrier.  They help protect and restore the skin, but tend to be heavy and thick and therefore, they don't have deep-penetrating capabilities.

Serums are far more powerful and, when used correctly, infuse your skin with hydration from deep below the top layer of the skin.  The consistency of a serum is much thiner than a moisturizer- allowing it to go below the skin's surface for deep hydration.

Serums are powerful topical treatments with intense active ingredients- look for hyaluronic acid/sodium hyaluronate- this is the key ingredient to infusing your skin with deep hydration to get the dewy, glowing skin you seek.  Many serums also have powerful vitamin extracts that promote skin turnover and renewal.

Moisturizers are important in prevention and protection- some also have wrinkle-deminishing ingredients, but serums are the heavy-lifters when it comes to age reversal.

You should apply serums to clean, dry skin and allow the serum to absorb before applying a moisturizer.

My serum pick: 
Kate Somerville's Quench Hydrating Face Serum- this product is great if your are just starting to add a serum to your skincare routine.  It's powerful enough to notice a change in your skin's quality and perfect for proactively combating anti-aging.

The Complexity of Beauty Blogging in the Parenting Category

Today is the perfect day to talk about the hypocricy of blogging about beauty while in the weeds of mommihood.

I'm just not feeling put together.  Period. End of sentence.

I'm trying to recruit some motivation- I have a sitter for the morning and I was going to use this time to go to the gym.  But my one year old hasn't stopped whining and clinging to me and it's amazing how quickly two hours can go by with a sitter when she offers childcare AND in-home adult conversation (without the pressure of tidying up before a play date).

To top it off, it's cold and miserable outside.

Ok, that's enough misery for one day.  Time to reboot my attitude.

... ... ... ...

No more excuses and unfortunately no time to go to the gym, workout, and shower.

But what I CAN do is spend 20 minutes in the privacy of my bedroom doing efficient PureBarre stretching and toning (translation: bounce around like an idiot), hop in the shower, slather on some Jergens Naturual Glow Moisturizer and blow dry my hair.  And I'm left with 15 minutes to blog about it :)

In keeping with my positivity challenge I am trying to STOP focusing on the negative so much (even though there are days that just seem impossible) and to focus on what I can do and what I managed to accomplish.  Did the day go exactly as I had planned.  Nope- it rarely does.  But did I actually accomplish everything I wanted to accomplish.  Sure did.

#NaBloPoMo #makeitworkmom 

Another Challenge for This Week- Marriage and Your Relationship

As most parents with young children can attest to, your marriage can take a serious beating when you add a new baby to the mix.  That's been one of the greatest challenges for me.  Sometimes, at the end of a really long day with the boys, I want to be upset and resentful and of course that lands on my even-tempered husband (who happened to walk in the door seven minutes after he told me he would be home....but really, who's keeping track of time after 13 hours sans spouse- hint...I am!).

Sometimes I feel like I only harp on the negative.  And in reality, my husband would agree that he also has a tendency to point out parenting fails vs. successes.  So, this week's challenge is to be more outwardly complimentary to one another.  Whether it's a "great job getting the little guy down to sleep tonight" or "thanks for being so patient while I checked my email and connected with folks online".

So when I feel like getting frustrated and pointing out something I don't like, I'm going to choose to compliment something I appreciate instead!

The Secrets to Celebrity Beauty

Did you have a chance to read Renee Rouleau's "Truth Behind Celebrity Skin Care Secrets" published on Refinery29??

Her piece offers a fascinating and realistic interpretation to celebrity secret myths.  While there is some truth to these secrets (it never hurts to drink plenty of water and genes do play an important role!), Renee goes on to explain why 70% of your skin's health is determined by how YOU take care of it while the remaining 30% is genetics.

There are so many simple, daily steps we can take to promote good skin health- sunscreen and healthy diet to name a few.  While some of the more expensive procedures might not be readily available, saving these treatments (microdermabrasion, chemical peels, etc) for your splurges (ahem, the holidays are right around the corner!) will offer a major bang for your buck!  And taking the time to indulge your skin daily with appropriate cleansers, serums, exfoliants will help extend your skin's youthful glow!

Take a look at my seasonal sprucing up routine here.  And read Renee's "Truth Behind Celebrity Skin Care Secrets" post here! 

It's Two PM on Monday...

And I think I'm just now starting to feel better after an amazing wedding celebration on Saturday!!  It was a night of serious over indulgences but there is no better time to "over do it" then when celebrating love!!  Especially in the company of some of my favorite people!!

I took this morning "off" to get a massage while the kids were at school.  And after some naps and lounging, I'll be brainstorming this week's editorial calendar!

Stay tuned!