Guide To Buying Face Masks

Here in New Zealand we’ve only really just started getting on the face mask band wagon, but finding locally made face masks that weren’t sold out at first proved to be a challenge. So both below and on my Instagram post I have a list of local places you can pick up a face mask from. The selection varies from homemade goodies to local designer. So be sure to check those lists out if you’re looking.

But what should you looking for when you purchase a face mask? Because as I’ve found, they are not all created equal.

First off, two layers of fabric should be the minimum. but 3 is more is recommended. This is lessen the particles penetrating through the face mask. Check out this simulation to see the difference.

There is scientific debate over whether cotton is an ideal fabric or holds on to foreign particles, but the tighter the weave on the fabric of your mask, the less that can get through it is a good rule of thumb to follow.

In terms of filters, the extra layer will always be an extra layer of protection. But if you can’t get one with a filter there is yet to be evidence that it is the difference between getting covid or not. And a lot of the filters are single use inserts, making them no better for the environment than the surgical masks.

And lastly, the elastic. Most masks have ear loops while some have elastic around the whole head. Both are equally as effective, so you do you.

Locally Made Face Masks – NZ

Annah Stretton

Celine Rita

Enhanced Health

Jojo Ross

Juliette Hogan

Hutton Homewares

Little Proteas

Mina

Ovna Ovich

Taylor

Untouched World

The Secret To Successful New Years’ Resolutions

Photo from Unsplash

We’re now a week into the new year (yes congratulations you survived), but how are those new year resolutions looking? January is the month of people signing up for expensive memberships and other schemes in hopes it will create a better happier them. But I’ve found the secret to happiness isn’t in spending lots of money and having challenging goals, but in smaller more achievable steps.

Instead of saying “I want to lose 10 pounds this year” which is a long term goal that will have you watching the scales and likely experiencing some self-loathing, anxiety and feelings of failure if the weight doesn’t melt away. Honestly examine the place you are in right now and identify a couple of changes you could make such as “this year I am going to reduce my carb intake and be more active.” This is easier to achieve as it isn’t such an absolute and your success in achieving it will likely spur you to keep going. This more successful mindset will also keep you in a more positive mental state which has additional benefits on health and wellbeing as well as things like motivation.

When making a goal, also be honest with yourself, about whether this is something you’re wanting to do for you or because you think you have to for some other reason. If you’re doing it for the right reasons, you’re also more likely to be motivated to put the work in and thus succeed.

So may 2020 be a year of success for you,
Krystal xx

Does ChillSculpt (Fat Freezing/Cryolipolysis) Really Work?

Over the past couple of years I’ve noticed my metabolism has slowed down and it’s been hard to shift that little bit of belly fat, so I decided to give Chill Sculpting a go.

ChillSculpt is a fat reduction treatment using cryolipolysis technology that freezes and reduces fat cells. It is not a weight loss solution, but it is ideal for reducing unwanted fat that cannot be easily removed through diet and exercise. It is a non-surgical alternative to liposuction and requires no down time, each treatment only takes around an hour.

I went for a consultation, which was free, where they discussed the areas I needed to target the most and pricing. The treatment is quite expensive (approx $400 a session) and 6 sessions are required for the treatment to be effective.

The treatment is administered through two paddles attached to a a machine that freezes the area to -10 degrees. The paddles suck the skin up, pulsate for 2 minutes at the beginning and end of treatment and freeze for the approximately 50 minutes in between.

Only one area can be treated at a time, so if you want to target more than one area of fat, your session will be multiple hours.

I’ve found with the smaller paddles the sensation uncomfortable, but with the larger paddles it can be quite painful. You are sometimes also left with significant bruising. I have also found that areas like the stomach which are mostly fat, are less painful to have treatment on that areas like the legs where there is less fat and things like lymph nodes.

In the 50 minutes the machine is at work, you will be laying or sitting and can read a book, watch Netflix on your phone or whatever other activity you can do while being reasonably still (you are connected to the machine after all). The biggest issue I found was that during the treatment time the therapist didn’t really check on me, so if I’d encountered any issues they weren’t easily on hand.

Now at my last session, I can’t say I’ve noticed much change. I have slight hollows in the areas I targeted on my legs, but it hasn’t really helped with an overall body sculpt. For me ChillSculpting is mostly chill with little sculpt.

Krystal xx

Are You Going Plastic Free This July

The zero-waste movement is gaining momentum bit by bit and Plastic Free July is a great way to kick start your life style change.

The great thing about Plastic Free July for those who can’t see themselves going 100% plastic free is that you don’t have to. The idea is about being more conscious of your purchasing and using decisions as oppose to being perfectly plastic free.

Plastic Free July was founded by The Plastic Free Foundation people can take a pledge to participate on their website. You can pledge to observe the challenge for just one day, one week, the entirety of July, or for July and beyond. You can also pledge to reduce your plastic in a few different ways: such as avoiding single-use packaging, avoiding the “big four” (bags, bottles, straws and coffee cups), or aiming to go completely plastic-free. You can also pledge to make these changes personally or for a local community group or workplace.

This pledge is easily manageable at any level as any change in environmental consciousness is still as a success.

Some Ideas To Kick Start Your New Zero Waste Lifestyle

Plastic isn’t the only think we throw in the trash, so here are some ideas to kick start your zero waste lifestyle.

1. Use reusable bags instead of single use plastic bags
2. Bring a reusable coffee cup with you to your local café
3. Say no to a straw
4. Carry a water bottle on you so you don’t have to buy a drink went out and about
5. Keep and old set of plates and cutlery at places like work rather than using disposable plates and cutlery
6. Use reusable sanitary items
7. Use cloth diapers for babies
8. Use cloth napkins and towels instead of paper napkins and paper towel
9. Use handkerchiefs instead of tissues
10. Use flannels to remove make up instead of make up wipes

Krystal xx

How To Be A Better You This New Year

Another year has come and gone, once again we’ve made New Years resolutions, but as January comes to a close no doubt many are already failing. Here are some simple tips to help improve on your already wonderful self this year.

1. Health

It’s not always about a diet, but making sure there is plenty of fruit and vege in your day is a good start. Then look at portion sizes and how much sugar and fat you’re consuming. Baby steps are more likely to result in good lasting habits.

2. Make Time To Enjoy Life

We work incredibly hard to give ourselves enough money to enjoy life – but often we forget to just stop and smell the roses. Make time. Priories the most urgent work and leave on time at the end of the day. Set aside time to do those things you always say you’re too busy for. And make an effort to live in the present as well as planning for the future.

3. Mental Health

Stress and anxiety are two of the biggest mental health complaints. Put things into perspective (will the world end if you don’t achieve this?) and take some time out to practice whatever form of mindfulness works for you.

4. The Environment

Evaluate how you can make the world around you a better place too. Whether it’s using a reusable coffee cup, not using single use plastic bags, making an effort to only buy consumables in recyclable packaging or trying something completely new like the waste free period. There are so many ways we can get the planet into better shape with just a few small changes.

Have you made any resolutions or small changes to your life? Comment below.

Krystal xx

It’s Never Too Late To Start Getting Fit

I’ve spent years at University, then worked a lot of late night shifts. Getting fit and eating healthy went by the wayside for a while. But this year I’ve decided to bite the bullet and tone up my body to bring it back to where it once was. But starting and maintaining it can be a challenge, even if you’re only looking at a small change.

Diet

Most likely, you’re going to need to make some changes to your diet and that can be hard, especially if you’re a chocoholic when you’re tired like me. I find that making changes gradually and getting used to them is far more effective than a crash diet. While it doesn’t give instant results (but what does really) changing your habits over time is a much more effective way of maintaining those habits and not being driven to a binge because you deprived yourself of all the food you like at once.

Exercise

The other big change you’ll probably need to make is increasing your fitness. Joining a sport or having regularly booked sessions with a personal trainer or working out with a friend who has the same goals are the most effective ways I’ve found of staying on track. A personal trainer can also create a routine that will maximize the benefits for you. If time or money is an issue, there are still plenty of exercises you can do at home and walking or running around your neighborhood costs nothing. But ultimately, if you enjoy it or are motivated to do it, you’ll find it easier to get in the level of exercise you are trying to obtain.

Motivation

A big challenge we all face is motivation. Find motivation through finding food and exercise you enjoy, work with friends and motivate each other and document your progress so you can see the changes happening. There are some great apps you can use too.

So whether it’s toning or shedding the weight. It’s never too late to start getting fit.

Krystal xx

Introducing Garnier Fructis Hair Food

We need food to keep us healthy and bouncing, so it stands to reason that our hair does too.  So often we accept split ends, dry or weak hair. We blame the wind and the bleach, but never find the time or the money to go to the salon for treatments. With Garnier Fructis’s Hair Food, treating your hair is inexpensive and those once healthy locks are restored.

Smoothing Macadamia Hair Food is enriched with macadamia seed oils, soya and coconut oil. It moisturises and smooths, leaving dry and unruly hair soft and healthy.

Repairing Papaya Hair Food is enriched with papaya, sunflower seed and coconut oils. It repairs and smooths ends, leaving hair strong and healthy.

Nourishing Banana Hair Food is enriched with banana, shea butter and coconut oil. It deeply hydrates and repairs, leaving dry hair soft and healthy.

Protecting Goji Hair Food is enriched with goji, soya and coconut oils. It revives the richness of coloured hair and protects from damage, leaving hair vibrant and healthy.

The 98% natural origin formulas are free of parabens, silicones and artificial colourants.  These formulas also multitask, as each can be used as a conditioner, hair mask and leave-in treatment. So, whether it’s time, price or chemicals that are stopping you, Garnier Fructis Hair Food has the solution.

Halo Beauty – First Thoughts

If you’re into beauty and watch YouTube, you’ve probably heard of beauty vlogger Tati Westbrook aka the GlamLifeGuru.

She has just released her beauty brand Halo Beauty, which so far has one product a vitamin for skin hair and nails. It sounds great and it’s both sugar and gluten free as well as vegan. She’s also been fairly transparent about the ingredients.

However a lot of bloggers, vloggers and others have been really negative about her brand and ingredients. I am surprised that her brand is so far just one product, but when you look at the product it looks fairly decent and people haven’t even used it yet to comment.

Looking at the ingredients and people’s concerns about things they do or don’t do and potential ill health you could get, there has been nothing more than a few suggested correlations. And the thing with correlations is that the two variables appear to be related but may both be occurring for non-related reasons. While I don’t think this product will be a miracle, I don’t think it will be any less effective than all the anti-aging creams out there and the companies for those don’t have to disable comments due to negativity and personal attacks.

It will be interesting to see how effective the product is once it is used for a period of time and how it affects Tati’s perceived integrity.

Krystal xx

iHerb Review (with promo code TRC217)

I love the internet, but I’m not such a fan of shopping online. Reluctant practice has made me a more confident online shopper, but I still refuse to do it unless I can’t purchase the product in a store locally. One of the main sites I use for these things is iHerb. This is my candid review of iHerb as the reluctant online shopper.

iHerb offers a range of health and beauty products for the more natural and healthy minded consumer. These products include two lip balm ranges I am crazy about; Crazy Rumors and Hurraw. The products are well priced and in your local currency both in the browsing and checkout screens (unlike Amazon).

iHerb offers a range of shipping options, including a no-rush cheaper shipping option as well as free shipping to countries outside the US. They also offer a shipping saver option on certain items.

Because I select the cheapest shipping, my items don’t arrive overnight by any means, but they still arrive within a reasonable time frame and iHerb sends a tracking number so I can track the item’s progress and know when it will possibly arrive. The items are also well packaged and arrive undamaged.

If you haven’t used iHerb before enter the code TRC217 and you’ll get 5% off your first purchase 🙂

Happy Shopping,

Krystal xx

The Zero Waste Period

I came across and article recently about the zero waste period. I had previously heard of the menstrual cup, but it turns out there are far more options (which is a good thing really).

There were three things that I found really interesting to consider with these alternatives. The first of course being their positive environmental impact, the second being people’s statements around how not using synthetic disposable materials has made their monthly cycle more comfortable and the last being around the coast saving. Apparently, women can spend $5000-10,000 on sanitary products in their lifetime. Whereas with the zero waste alternatives, you’re looking more around $1000-$2000 in your lifetime. Or less if your products last well. So, what are these alternative options?

First off, of course there is the option of using a menstrual cup instead of tampons. A cup can last you up to 10 years as oppose to a box every period or so. But it is a rather liberal option being a cup inside your you-know-where.

Secondly, there is the reusable pad option instead of the synthetic disposable pad option. This kind of reminds me of cloth nappies in terms of its philosophy. But I’m willing to consider it as an option.

Thirdly, there is period underwear. This one reminds me of incontinence underwear. But at the same time, I’m thinking that perhaps period-proof underwear is the secret to no leakage.

And lastly, there is the sea sponge. This is the option I am least sure about, because a bit like the beauty blender, how much bacteria is getting in there in the 6 months it is supposed to last?

So, if you want to get on the zero waste bandwagon ladies, here is some alternatives that could long-term be great for the environment, your body and your wallet.

Krystal xx