Simple Ways To Practice Self-Care (As Seen On CBS Austin)

In honor of September being National Self-Care Awareness Month, I made a virtual visit to my friends at CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin” to chat about some easy ways in which we can all practice self-care (you can view the segment above or by clicking here). From pampering skincare products to sleep-enhancing pillows, menopause essentials, and optimal hydration solutions, keep reading for some of my favorite products to help you indulge, relax, refresh, and reset.

Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide24 Face Moisturizer

Self-care comes in many forms — be it guided meditation, journaling, and yoga or a warm bubble bath and a good book. Skincare is one area where we can easily incorporate a bit of self-care into our daily lives. When you apply a serum or moisturizer you love, massaging it onto your skin gently, the entire experience can become relaxing and indulgent.

One great daily moisturizer that will make you and your skin feel pampered is the Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide24 Face Moisturizer. It’s formulated with Olay’s powerhouse peptide formula, which uses small molecules that effectively penetrate the skin’s surface, boosting collagen production and visibly firming skin.

The formula also incorporates dermatologist-beloved ingredients like glycerin, a natural humectant, and vitamin B3, which is known to improve the skin’s moisture barrier so that it can better lock in hydration. As a result, this powerhouse moisturizer can deliver 24 hours of hydration!

It’s under $30 at Olay.com or you can contact your local retailer for curbside pick-up.

HydroPeptide Power Luxe Hydra-Rich Infusion Cream

You know the saying “you snooze, you lose”? Well, when it comes to skin’s health, the opposite is true: at night, the skin’s metabolic rate increases sharply, which means faster skin cell turnover and a rise in new skin cell production. Moreover, the process of skin cell mitosis (a cell division that occurs to renew and repair skin), is at its peak between 11 pm and midnight. The concept of beauty sleep, then, is actually based on fact.

To build upon the skin’s natural nighttime repair routine and maximize your beauty sleep, check out the new HydroPeptide Power Luxe ($148 at HydroPeptide.com). This indulgent cream features an ultra-rich formula optimized for nighttime use, so that it’s designed to work with your circadian rhythm, delivering potent ingredients to skin at the ideal time. To that end, this cream works while you sleep to fortify the skin’s moisture barrier, maximize hydration, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, even skin tone, and boost skin’s luminosity.

Because we’re more prone to losing water through the skin during sleep, the cream incorporates a Hymagic™-4D technology that is comprised of 4 different weights of hyaluronic acid, all of which bind moisture to skin and leave it looking and feeling more plumped and supple. Moreover, the formula incorporates structural peptides — specifically Dermapep A350, Idealift, and Serilesine — which work to stimulate collagen production to rebuild and maintain skin’s integrity, resulting in better hydrated, smoother, bouncier, more youthful-looking skin.

Another powerful ingredient found in the formula is Bakuchiol, a plant-derived ingredient that offers the same skin-firming and wrinkle-reducing benefits as retinol without the dryness and irritation that often accompanies the latter.

Simply put: with this dream cream, you snooze and you win!

Imbue Curl Care Line

Your curls will go on an upward spiral (get it?) with Imbue, a curl-worshipping, vegan hair care brand designed for curly and coily hair types 3A to 4C. In stark contrast to other brands that aim to “tame” or “control” your curls, Imbue seeks to celebrate them — and, in doing so, empower you to love and embrace your textured hair.

Because curly hair needs extra TLC, Imbue products are made with hair-loving ingredients — all sustainably sourced and plant-derived. In Imbue’s formulas, then, you might find ingredients like coconut, camellia, jojoba, and sunflower oils, as well as cupuaçu, cocoa, and shea butters. Moreover,  these formulas contain no sulfates or parabens that could dehydrate our damage strands and they’re also free of oil-based silicones, which sit on top of hair and create build-up that can weigh curls down and block moisture from entering the hair and scalp.

The Imbue line is comprised of 7 products that fit into an easy-to-follow, four-step regimen: cleanse, condition, curl, and finish. To make the entire process extra simple, the products are color-coded: yellow accents refer to Step 1 (Cleanse), green lids and caps designate products in Step 2 (Condition), pink motifs belong to those products in Step 3 (Curl), and orange details pertain to the items in Step 4 (Finish).  No more fumbling in the shower trying to figure out which product to reach for!

One of the brand’s stand-out products is the best-selling  Curl Empowering Crème Gel ($12.99 at ImbueCurls.com), a multi-tasking product that combines the hair-softening benefits of a leave-in cream with the definition of a gel. Formulated with avocado, coconut, olive, jojoba, and sunflower seed oils alongside cupuaçu and cacao seed butters and pro-vitamin B5, this product defines curls, fends off frizz, and offers a flake-free, lightweight hold.

Visit ImbueCurls.com to shop the brand

Kindra Daily Vaginal Lotion & Applicator 

Remember the days when young girls learned about their periods by reading Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret? Well, we’ve come a long way in ending the stigma associated with menstruation (although, yes, we do still have plenty of work to do). And yet there is still a shroud of silence and a collective discomfort when it comes to discussing many aspects of womanhood — particularly as it relates to our reproductive health and well-being.

One such topic? Menopause. Yes, we all know that it’s a natural stage in a woman’s life, and yet it’s rarely discussed openly. Well, it’s time to destigmatize and demistify menopause once and for all. In order to do so, we can rely on companies like Kindra, a modern wellness brand of plant-powered, estrogen-free, science-backed menopause essentials.

Kindra empowers those experiencing the hormonal changes linked to menopause to care for their bodies — naturally, safely, and holistically. It also seeks to connect people in peri-to-post menopause with resources, education, community, and products to address some of the most challenging aspects of menopause such as disrupted sleep, brain fog, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness.

If you’ve been experiencing vaginal dryness and need to give your most intimate area some relief, pick up the Kindra Daily Vaginal Lotion & Applicator,($49 at OurKindra.com). This pH-balanced, fragrance-free lotion features coconut, safflower, and sunflower seed oils — all of which boast skin-restorative lipids that offer maximum hydration and provide long-lasting comfort. The formula also features niacinamide, otherwise known as vitamin B3, which is known to repair and strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier, helping to grant your lady V long-lating hydration.

The lotion comes with a revolutionary, reusable applicator that’s designed to be gentle, easy-to-use, and mess-free.

Visit OurKindra.com for more information and resources!

Shaklee Collagen-9

Beauty starts from the inside out — both metaphorically and literally. In order to flaunt supple skin, strong nails and healthy hair, for instance, our bodies need to have enough collagen. In many parts of the human body — including the skin and hair, as well as joints, muscles, and tendons —this powerful protein acts as a “glue” of sorts, binding cells together and lending structural integrity to these tissues. Unfortunately, we age, our bodies produce less collagen, which can result in everything from wrinkles and sagging skin to stiff joints and brittle bones. To avoid the unpleasant effects of this collagen decrease, we want to give our bodies the necessary tools to continue producing collagen.

This, of course, explains the sea of collagen supplements on the market, which range from tablets and liquid shots to protein bars, coffee creamers, and protein powders. So which is the best choice? Well, allow me to introduce you to Shaklee Collagen-9 ($29.50 at US.Shaklee.com).

Shaklee Collagen-9 is the most complete collagen product out there because, as its name suggests, it contains all 9 essential amino acids necessary for protein synthesis – including collagen production. Moreover, this powdered formula contains vitamin C, which is required by the two enzymes involved in collagen formation. Without vitamin C, the body can’t form collagen, so having it as a vital part of this formula is key to its efficiency.

Each serving contains 10g of hydrolyzed collagen types I and III and 100% of your daily value of vitamin C and biotin. Just mix 2 scoops of this powder into your coffee or add it to your morning smoothie and enjoy.

VOSS+

Up to 60% of the human body is comprised of water, so hydration is vital to enjoying optimal health. Now, you’re probably familiar with VOSS, a brand of bottled water born over 20 years ago in Norway, a country known for fresh air, untouched natural resources, and a flair for modern elegance. VOSS is as known for its pure water, which has a smooth and crisp refreshing quality, as it is for its iconic bottle. And now, VOSS has unveiled its VOSS+ line, which is comprised of three premium functional waters, each one with a little something extra to help optimize your health and wellness.

First, there’s VOSS + Collagen, which features a light berry essence flavor and contains 10 grams of collagen protein to help you achieve more hydrated, radiant, youthful-looking skin. Each water bottle contains 40 calories and has no added sweeteners.

Another great choice is the VOSS + Vitamin D, which contains 50% of the recommended daily value of vitamin D. Since as many as 40% of American  adults have a vitamin D deficiency, this is a convenient way to increase your intake of this crucial nutrient. Each VOSS+ Vitamin D water boasts a citrus essence flavor and contains zero calories and zero sweeteners.

And, if you lead an active lifestyle, you’ll want to reach for the VOSS + Aquamin water. It’s enhanced with Aquamin, a multi-mineral complex sustainably sourced from the coasts of Iceland that consists of 74 trace minerals and electrolytes, thereby delivering optimal hydration.

As part of the brand’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, each VOSS+ water is packaged in a 100% recycled PET plastic bottle with a food-grade recyclable cap. For more info and to find a retailer near you, visit VOSSwater.com

Baabuk Slippers

Good shoes take you good places, and these are a magic carpet to Relaxation City! When you slide your feet inside the cozy Baabuk Mel Slippers ($65 at Baabuk.com), you can practically feel the tension melting away.

Headquartered in Switzerland, Baabuk aims to create comfortable shoes that are eco-friendly and sustainably sourced and manufactured. True to its commitment to sustainability, Baabuk shoes are made of wool, which is a long-lasting and renewable resource. Plus, wool is the perfect material for shoes because it’s moisture-wicking and boasts antimicrobial properties. And while you may associate wool with winter pea coats and chunky sweaters, the truth is it’s a versatile, all-weather material: there are natural crimps and air pockets in wool that keep the cold out during the winter and the heat out in the summer, all while allowing skin to breathe.

These felted wool slippers are hand-crafted — and, since each of Baabuk’s skilled artisans has their own process, each pair of slippers has its own unique look and feel. No two pairs are ever exactly the same, so your slippers will always feel like a personal treasure.

Slippers range from $65 to $95 at Baabuk.com

SpineAlign Pillow

Are you waking up with an achy lower back or stiff neck? Are you getting 7 and 8 hours of sleep but still feeling tired and depleted? Well, your pillow may be the culprit.

You can enjoy better quality sleep with the SpineAlign Pillow ($165 at SpineAlign.com), an ergonomic pillow specifically designed by the brand’s in-house chiropractor to support proper head and neck alignment.

Designed specifically for back and side sleepers, the pillow has a soft and ultra breathable polyester outer cover with strips of mesh built along the sides. Moreover, the pillow features 3 zippered chambers that allow users to maneuver or remove the pillow’s filling as needed in order to adjust the height of the pillow to fit comfortable. As such, then, the pillow is totally adjustable and customizable, so each person can get the support he or she needs to enjoy the most restful slumber.