JOSIE ANSWERS How to Get that Glow

Hi Beauties!

Our lovely customer service goddess, Iesha, told me that we’ve been getting a lot of questions about how to get the perfect healthy glow as we come out of the harsh winter months. So, I thought I’d give you all a little guide on how I love to give my skin that extra oomph!

1. Start out with a clean hydrated face. When your skin is healthy, you are naturally radiant.
2. Try a moisturizer with shimmer! My 100% Argan Oil + Radiance, which I created with Ian Somerhalder as part of my Model Citizen Campaign, is the perfect tool for this. The radiance is really subtle, so you don’t have to worry about looking glittery. It just gives your skin this lit-from-within look that I’m obsessed with. Plus ten percent of the sales go to the Ian Somerhalder Foundation Animal Sanctuary! Look out for two more additions to the collection at Sephora—available April 4!
3. After using foundation or tinted moisturizer, add Argan Illuminizer to the high planes of your face, including your cheekbones, brow bones, down the bridge of your nose and in your cupid’s bow. I like to just use my fingertips to blend it into my skin. A little bit goes a long way!

I hope you all get your glow on this weekend! And remember, nothing makes you more lovely than being happy!

With love,

Josie

P.S. If you want to get a glow all over your body, try my Argan Bronzing Oil, Illuminizing Body Butter, or mix a pump of Argan Illuminizer in with your body butter!

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IN THE KITCHEN Pineapple Sangria with Coconut Water

I’ve been super into coconut water lately—it’s just so yummy and good for you! And Rumi Joon loves it just as much as I do. She’s been bringing me can after can, taking a little sip before she hands it to me. Sitting on my kitchen counter is a ripe, luscious pineapple, and this morning when I saw it, I had a eureka moment! Why not combine this super sweet fruit with my new favorite beverage? I found this recipe for Pineapple Sangria on epicurious. Looks like I’ll be making my Pennsylvania farmhouse just a little more tropical tonight! Adults only!

With love,

Josie

Pineapple Sangria

Ingredients
1 small pineapple, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 cups white wine

2 ounces simple syrup

4 ounces white rum

1 cup coconut water

2 ounces fresh lime juice

1 lime, thinly sliced

1 cup sparkling water

In a large pitcher, combine 2 cups pineapple, white wine, simple syrup, and rum. Stir gently then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, add the coconut water, lime juice, lime slices, and sparkling water. Garnish glasses with the remaining pineapple, or add the fruit to the pitcher.

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Coconut Water, Sangria, Pineapple

CHICOLOGICAL GUEST POST Allycia of Beauty and a Baby

Allycia Wilson has some pretty serious beauty knowledge under her belt. A captivating writer, Allycia is an editor at beautyblitz.com, freelances for InStyle, and has tested and reviewed hundreds of products. But our favorite way to get our Allycia fix is by visiting her blog—Beauty and a Baby—where the mother of two covers everything from eco-friendly laundry tips to of-the-moment scents from her favorite brands. This week, Allycia is giving us the inside scoop on the best ways to get some relaxation in the midst of a very busy schedule.

Green Your Routine: Relax

Now that I’m a mom of two little boys, ages 4 and 2 months, it’s not always so easy to take time out for myself. But I’ve discovered how to sneak in some much-needed ways to relax. Here are some simple tips how to:

Stop and Smell the Roses (literally!): Spring is right around the corner and it is by far my most favorite time of the year. After being cooped up in the house for those frigid winter months, it’s always nice to step outside, take a deep breath in, and a little bit of Mother Nature! There is a lovely little park near my home where I take my oldest son for walks. Not only do I get to watch him enjoy feeding the ducks and smelling the blooming flowers, but I can also take a break from being in the house all day. If even for only fifteen minutes, try to get up and walk outside to clear your mind. You’ll come back feeling refreshed and rejuvenated!

Let There Be Light: I may have a minor obsession with candles. I love discovering new beautiful fragrances and having the sweet aromatic scents flow throughout my home. To unwind, there’s nothing like setting a few candles around the bathtub (and letting my husband watch the kids) while I enjoy thirty minutes of blissful uninterrupted “me” time. Or why not curl up on the couch with that book you’ve been meaning to read. Hey, people read by candlelight before we discovered electricity, why can’t you? Some relaxing scents that are great for relaxation include lavender, sandalwood, ylang-ylang, and also patchouli.

Drink Up: I grew up with my mom giving me tea to drink every morning and to this day I can’t start my day with a hot cup of it. Tea can also help you relax and fall asleep after a long hard day! My favorite teas have always been green tea in the morning and a nice cup of chamomile on occasion right before bed.

There are many ways to fit in some relaxation in your life. When your mind and body are calm, you are definitely more productive and effective throughout the day. So go ahead… relax! 

Images via: Candles, Flowers, Tea

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Hi Beauties!

I hope you all have a really wonderful weekend. I wanted to share a few of the things that are inspiring me this Friday, including some gorgeous designs and the immortal words of E.E. Cummings! Doesn't that phrase--"lovers alone wear sunlight"--just give you chills? And of course, I just can't get enough of the joyful faces of my two girls; I've never felt such bliss as when they are happy! What is inspiring you today? Any fun plans for the weekend? Share!

With Love,

Josie

Images via: 

Rumi Joon dancing, Balinese door, kaleidoscope in sherbet tones, E.E. Cummings, Indi Joon and her toothy grin

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY GIVEAWAY WINNER & Confidence with Solow Style

Today marks the end of our special series with  Jill McIntosh and Solow Style! Today, Jill is teaching us how to improve our posture and confdience! And thanks to Solow Style, we have a winner of the very stylish workout gear we showed off in this post! Scroll down to see if you’re the winner. But first, here’s Jill and her tips on working your spine.

CONFIDENCE Spinal Extensions

These are the absolute best exercises you can do to improve your posture, and there is a strong correlation to good posture and confidence.  Practicing spinal extensions helps balance out all the frontal movements we do everyday and can help alleviate pain in the entire length of the spine.  It will help you walk taller and move through your world more confidently.

Lift and hold 10 times with hands and feet on the ground.

Lift arms and legs as high as possible and tap inner thighs together 25 times.

Alignment cues:

1. Keep your toenails, hipbones and palms of your hands pressed into the ground to maintain foundation and stability of your low back for lifts.
2. Think about leading with your ribcage.  This will ensure that you’re engaging the muscles the entire length of your spine rather than just your low back.
3. Keep your focus on the ground so your neck stays in line with your spine.
4. When lifting your arms and legs up keep your chest wide and arms and legs as straight as possible.
5. Use inhalation to get your body longer and exhalation to lift up higher.

Thanks, Jill! Congratulations to Lacey, winner of the Solow Style Giveaway. Lacey won with her comment on her favorite way to get moving:

“Running. I was born to run free. It allows me to clear my mind. It takes me places.”

Congrats, Lacey! Thanks to everyone who participated and to Solow for providing us with this amazing giveaway. Be sure to check out Solow's site for more cute styles like the one Jill's wearing.

ECO TIPS Decorating

Decorating your home or apartment can be a long and very personal process—after all, you want the way your house looks and feels to reflect who you are! But buying all your goods new can also take its toll on the environment. Think about your furniture! Remember all the crazy cardboard boxes it came in? The truck that delivered it? Not so great for Mama Earth. But believe it or not, it is possible to give the planet a breather while still crafting a splendidly unique ambience—one that really is, entirely your own.

Paint It: Before you decide to go crazy and redecorate your place, think about painting instead. Changing the paint on the walls can instantly reinvigorate a dull room. Instead of just choosing a new version of taupe, try green (make sure it’s non-toxic!) Green has been shown to instantly improve your mood!  

Mix Old & New: Instead of buying all new things, mix some old with new. Hit up flea markets, Salvation Army, Good Will and eBay for items that are vintage or used. Your home will have a more unique look—one that’s perfectly reflective of your taste.

Bamboo is Best: Have you ever planted bamboo in your backyard? The stuff takes off and spreads like crazy. Bamboo is resilient and grows very quickly, making it a great, sustainable material for homes. Consider bamboo flooring or furniture. And a little bamboo plant in a pot makes a cheerful bright green addition to any room.

Images via: Flooring, bench, room, brush

WHAT WE'RE EATING St. Patrick's Day

Since St. Patrick’s Day falls on Sunday this year, we’re taking the opportunity to have a little office celebration this evening after work. Though most of us aren’t Irish, (with the notable exception of our favorite graphic designer and JMC veteran, Aidan McDermott) we will take any opportunity to kick back and share a Guinness with friends. Thanks to the chefs among us, we’ll also be snacking on a few Irish treats. Here’s to finding a four-leaf clover, or maybe even a sneaky leprechaun!

Farmhouse Cheese & Soda Bread Pudding

Chocolate Guinness Goodness

Potato and Cabbage Bundles

Corned Beef and Fontina Sandwiches

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY Tone with Solow Style GIVEAWAY

Today we continue our special edition of Workout Wednesday with Jill McIntosh and Solow Style! Today, Jill is schooling us on how to get a shapely behind while strengthening and relieving back pain! And thanks to Solow Style, you could win the very stylish workout gear we showed off in last week’s post! Simply enter your favorite, active way to make your body feel good in the comments, and we’ll pick a random winner in next week’s edition. Enter by Tuesday, March 19 for your chance to win! Here’s Jill!

TONE Kneeling Seat Work

A high lifted seat is a great motivator for exercising, but also strengthening the gluteal and hamstring muscles helps you stand taller and offset back pain.  Added benefit: feeling better in your swimsuit!  Position yourself against a wall, like I am in the pictures above, and try these easy exercises.

Press your leg back 25 times

Curl your heal to your seat 25 times

Lift your knee up at a diagonal and do small lateral presses 25 times.

Alignment cues:

1. Arms straight and core stabilized as if in plank.  Use your abdominals to make sure there is no movement in your low back.
2. Curling your heel into your seat adds the benefit of toning the hamstring which helps lift your seat.  Make sure your knee stays behind your hip as you curl.
3. In lateral lifts keep your hips square and try to turn your foot out wider than your knee.  This will ensure that the pelvis stays squared and that you can truly target your seat.

JOSIE'S PICKS for Spring Cleaning

One of my favorite things about winter coming to an end is getting the opportunity to do a little spring cleaning.  Spring just feels like a fresh start to the year—a good time to do some sprucing. In the spirit of starting anew and getting your life clean and organized, here are some great Etsy finds to inspire your emergence from hibernation.

With love,

Josie

Diaper Organization Caddy

All Natural Laundry Soap

Lavender Linen Spray

Natural Beeswax Candles

Farmhouse Wire Basket

DO GOOD International Women's Day

I hope you’re doing something special today to celebrate the wonderful women in your life—including yourself!  On this day, I'm taking time to remember that even though we still have far to go here in the US, we enjoy many more rights than most women around the globe. Here are a few things we can all do to improve things locally and globally.

Be a Champion for Women: Let’s lift each other up! From supporting and empowering one another in the workplace, to protesting violence against women, there’s a lot you can do to be a champion for women’s rights. Don’t forget to let your voice be heard. If we don’t advocate for ourselves, who will?

Give Back: There’s a lot you can do to help women around the world even if you’re just sitting at your computer. Do a little research into nonprofits that focus on global female empowerment. One of my favorites is Women For Women International. If doing something local is a bit more your style, volunteer at a women’s shelter or a women’s health clinic.

Mentor and Empower: Like it or not, the upcoming generations of women are still going to encounter inequality. Do what you can to make sure that the girls in your life understand and utilize their own strength and power. Whether it’s telling your daughter that she is capable of accomplishing all of her dreams, or being a mentor for a young female entrepreneur, there’s a lot you can do to make sure the younger generations feel empowered to continue the good fight towards gender equality. And remember: how you treat and speak about yourself will affect how the girls in your life treat and speak about themselves. So be good to yourself!  You’re wonderful!

With lots of love,

Josie

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