The Fashionable Housewife

Are You Drinking Enough Water?

January 27th, 2012 @ 5:05 pm
Written by Sara Cornell

Water is the source of life, and unless you’ve been living in a cave lately, you know that you need to drink water – and lots of it – every day for optimal health. The human body is almost 60% water; the brain is composed of 70% water, and the lungs are nearly 90% water. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water by weight; body fat contains 10% water and bone has 22% water. About 83% of our blood is water, which helps digest our food, transport waste, and control body temperature.

According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don’t have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

What about the advice to drink eight glasses a day?

Everyone has heard the advice, “Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.” That’s about 1.9 liters, which isn’t that different from the Institute of Medicine recommendations. Although the “8 by 8″ rule isn’t supported by hard evidence, it remains popular because it’s easy to remember.

About.com has a great tool on their nutrition link called a Hydration Calculator. I completed the quiz attached to the link, and according to their calculator, I should be drinking 2.4 Liters (81.5 ounces) of water every day, which is just slightly higher than the recommended ”8 by 8″ rule.

2+ liters of water can taste boring sometimes, and a great supplement to your water intake is coconut water. It tastes great, is nutritionally satisfying, and very refreshing. Vita Coco is a popular brand in my household. Coconut water is also a great sports hydrator, and much better for you than artificially sweetened sports drinks. Vita Coco is loaded with potassium, and is as natural as natural gets. I always have a coconut water handy during and after my hot yoga practice, and keep bottles handy in my office and kitchen. Like the Vita Coco folks say…”Life is hectic enough, and you should be hydrated while you live it. Go ahead, get hydrated and remember that life is a sport.”

Image courtesy of Vita Coco

A great way to get your family to drink more water is to replace their sports drinks (or God forbid sodas!) with Vita Coco or other naturally flavored water beverages. Just be sure to check the labels to make sure that any flavoring comes from natural and not artificial sweeteners.

Try drinking the recommended amount of water for your body size and lifestyle, and see how great you can feel. Chances are you’ll have more energy, feel more alert and your skin will look radiant!

Posted in Health & Fitness, Skin Care Related Topics: About.com, Beauty, Health, Mayo Clinic, Vita Coco

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15 Minute Valentine’s Day Makeup

January 27th, 2012 @ 6:00 am
Written by Denise Shively

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If you’re pressed for time on Valentine’s Day, this quick 15 minute guide to getting gorgeous will help you save time and still have you looking pretty for that special someone – or for just a night out with the girls!

1. Prime

Start with a clean, moisturized face, and use a foundation primer to help even out your skin tone and keep your makeup flawless. I like e.l.f. Studio Mineral Infused Face Primer ($6, eyeslipsface.com,) but feel free to use your favorite primer for this step.

2. Foundation/Concealer

For light coverage, a tinted moisturizer is best, followed by spot treating problem areas with a bit of concealer. However, if you need full coverage, choose a lightweight foundation like Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Foundation ($50, Sephora) for buildable coverage that lasts. Use a foundation brush or a makeup sponge for a smooth finish.

3. Blush

Impart skin with a rosy glow by dusting CoverGirl TruBlend Blush Naturally Luminous Powder in Pure Romance 425 ($7.29, drugstore.com) over cheeks.

4. Eyes

Because you’re in a hurry, choose one eyeshadow to sweep over lids and in the crease. For a standout look, choose a shimmery neutral like taupe, sand, bronze or something in between. Make sure to line the upper and lower lash line with black eyeliner, such as Prestige Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil ($5.25, drugstores) and coat lashes with one to two coats of a volumizing and lengthening mascara.

5. Lips

For lip color that lasts all night, choose a lip stain that you can simply sweep on and forget about. One to try: NYC Smooch Proof 16 Hour Lipstain, ($4-6, drugstores.) If you prefer a glossy finish rather than a matte look, simply apply the stain and then coat lips in your favorite clear gloss for a shiny, sexy finish.

There you have it! Your 15 minute guide to easy Valentine’s Day makeup that will look just as gorgeous as if you spent hours pulling your look together. Do you have any favorite time-saving tips for getting gorgeous in a flash? Share them with me in the comments.

Posted in Makeup Related Topics: 15 Minute Valentine's Day Makeup, Beauty, CoverGirl TruBlend Blush, drugstore.com, elf mineral face primer, Laura Mercier Foundation, Makeup, NYC Lip Stain, Prestige Waterproof Eyeliner, Sephora, Valentine's Day

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FREE Gift + Shipping With Any Origins.com Purchase

January 26th, 2012 @ 6:00 am
Written by Denise Shively

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Origins.com is offering a great promotion right now, so treat yourself and take advantage of a FREE Perfect World Antioxidant cleanser with White Tea + FREE Shipping with any Origins.com purchase. Simply use code “BONUS1″ at checkout to receive your free gift and free shipping.

Offer valid from now until February 4, 2012 – so stock up on your favorite skincare goodies and receive a great bonus to boot.

Posted in Promotions Related Topics: Free Shipping, Origins, Origins online coupon codes, Origins.com, Perfect World Antioxidant Cleanser

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Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas from Avon

January 25th, 2012 @ 6:00 am
Written by Denise Shively

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If you’re looking for a lovely beauty gift for your significant other, best friend or simply to treat yourself, check out these great Valentine’s Day gift ideas from Avon.

1. Shine Attract Lipstick

Right now, they only have mini versions of this lipstick available on Avon.com, so you can try them out and see if they’re right for you. These lipsticks are wrapped in a clear jelly-like gloss, and are designed to moisturize while coating your lips in beautiful, luscious color. Keep an eye out for the full-size versions, coming next month.

($9, available in February)

2. Avon SuperExtend Extreme Mascara

Forget falsies or lash extensions! With Avon’s SuperExtend Mascara, your lashes will soar to new heights with just one coat. From Avon:

Get the ultimate wideeyed look with Avon’s most dramatic mascara yet. The formula instantly lengthens 100% of lashes as the new dual extension brush combs, defines and builds lashes for a full fringe of long, lifted, shiny lashes.

If you want your best look yet this Valentine’s Day, consider picking up this mascara as a special treat to yourself.

($9, available in March)

3. Nailwear PRO Nail Enamel in Sweet Mint, Aqua Fantasy and Fuchsia Fun

These colors are absolutely gorgeous – and perfect for Valentine’s Day and beyond. Aqua Fantasy is the shade pictured above, but the rest of the pastels and vibrant neons are just as gorgeous and will look equally at home on fingers or toes.

($5, Available in February)

I was sent all of these items from a PR company for consideration, so stay tuned to The Fashionable Housewife for detailed reviews in the coming weeks!

Posted in Gift Ideas Related Topics: Avon Aqua Fantasy Nail Polish, Avon Fuchsia Fun Nail Polish, Avon gifts, Avon Shine Attract Lipstick, Avon SuperExtend Mascara, Avon Sweet Mint Nail Polish, beauty gifts for Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day gift ideas

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Fashion Day Dreams

January 24th, 2012 @ 10:52 am
Written by Sara Cornell

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Sometimes life gets too serious and you just have to sit back and dream for awhile. Here are some images from my fashion fantasy today…enjoy…

Love, love, love these Jeffrey Campbell color block suede open toe…what are they…pumps, sandles, platforms…? Who knows, but they’re brilliant!

Image courtesy of Marc Jacobs

This embroidered tulle skirt by Marc Jacobs is so right in so many ways. Love it styled with a T-shirt, but I might go for a tighter fitting T…

Image courtesy of Oscar de la Renta

And if you’re going to dream…well, dream big…

Posted in Fashion Advice Related Topics: fashion, Jeffrey Campbell, marc jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Outfit Ideas

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$25 Poshlocket Giveaway

January 24th, 2012 @ 9:00 am
Written by Amanda Davis

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We have just recently discovered a great online accessory company called Poshlocket! They specialize in youthful and affordable jewelry for every age… and we thinking we are becoming their biggest fans! I happen to think that almost every pair of earrings that they carry, need to come home with me. Take a look at what I mean:

What makes them even better? The folks over at Poshlocket have been awesome enough to offer one of our lucky readers the opportunity to win a $25 gift card to their site! How awesome is that?

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this post and tell us what you love from Poshlocket!

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Note: You must leave 1 comment per entry. Extra entries will NOT be counted unless you leave a NEW comment for each one (not a reply).

Details

Contest runs from January 24th, 2012 until February 6th, 2012 . Last chance to enter is February 6th 2012 at 11:59pm ET. Winner will be chosen with Random.org and notified by email within 7 days of contest end and asked for full name, address and phone number (for shipping purposes). If no response is given within 48 hours, a different winner will be chosen, so please be sure to check your email!

Entrants must be 18 or older and located in the US or Canada only.

Prize will be provided and shipped by Poshlocket.

The prize or prizes have been provided by the company and not myself. The brand or company is not a sponsor, administrator, or involved in any other way with this giveaway. All opinions expressed in the post are my own and not those of the company providing the prize.

If you are the winner of this giveaway and you do not receive your item within 8 weeks of sending us your mailing address, please email us and let us know.

Posted in Contests & Giveaways Related Topics: $25 gift certificate, Giveaway, Jewelry, poshlocket, youthful

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Would You Bleach Your Teeth?

January 23rd, 2012 @ 12:20 pm
Written by Sara Cornell

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Our nation is obsessed with white teeth. From the media, to public figures, to advertising, teeth whitening is everywhere. Whiter teeth brighten everything about your face and can make you look and feel years younger. But with so many options on the market and different treatment options available, how do you know which to choose? Dr. Pankaj Singh, Founder and CEO of Arch Dental, highlights some of the benefits of professionally whitening your teeth:

In office teeth whitening is the most thorough and quickest way of getting the teeth their whitest.

Treatments at a dentist’s office are faster, typically lasting an hour, and the results are more immediate and pronounced.

The concentration of the gel used is much more than what can be found in an over the counter product. For that reason the over the counter products cannot give the same level of results in a comparable period of time.

One of the drawbacks of in office whitening as compared with at home whitening products is an increased risk of tooth sensitivity due to the higher concentrations of bleach that are used. Moreover, this sensitivity can linger for a few days after treatment.

Having your teeth professionally whitened is significantly more expensive than do it yourself products, and generally isn’t covered by insurance.

I had my teeth professionally whitened a few years ago. The results were dramatic, but the sensitivity that I experienced during and after the treatment was significant. The results lasted several months, but my penchant for coffee and red wine has undone much of the original bleaching. I think about doing it again, but for me, the sensitivity issue holds me back. I felt younger and brighter with whiter teeth, so maybe one day I’ll do though the procedure again!

If you are thinking about whitening your teeth, definitely talk with your dentist about it. He or she may offer the service, or they may be able to refer you to a reputable clinic in your area.