How to Wear a Statement Tee

Photo courtesy of all4women

If it seems like everywhere you turn, someone has a statement tee on, you are not alone. Statement tees have become one of the most popular tops to wear. These comfortable tops can be worn with nearly any outfit, but there are limits. It is important to consider the statement on the tee and the location you are wearing it. Once you learn how to wear a statement tee, you can bring them out of the gym and out into the world.


One of the best combinations is a cute, ironic statement with a skirt and cardigan. There are several adorable statement tees with words about popular literature, food, and love. These can be dressed up with a favorite skirt, like a pencil skirt, midi-skirt, or even a fun tulle skirt. But, since you are wearing a tee, you do not want to get too dressed up; so, you pair the skirt with a comfortable casual cardigan or wrap. The skirt and wrap should coordinate, but the tee can provide some variety. The cardi can cover some of the words and the outfit will still look cute. Many women will pair this look with a statement necklace and/or decorative earrings. You can easily wear tights with flats or booties for even more fun.


If you are in a cold climate, you can wear your favorite statement tee over a flannel shirt with your favorite jeans. To make the look unique, keep the tails of the flannel shirt poking out under the shirt. Since the statement tee will be front and center, you should be sure the statement is something you are comfortable wearing in public. It should fit with the casual look. Artfully torn jeans look fantastic with flannels, so if you have distressed jeans, this is the outfit to wear with them. You can add booties or long boots with cuffs. You could also wear this with chunky winter boots, too. A scarf can also add to the look.


Statement tee shirts can also look great with different types of jackets. If you are looking for a casual look, pair the tee with jeans and a bomber jacket. You can also wear them with cigarette pants and a fitted blazer. Women also look great when they wear them with cute leather jackets, especially with a pretty skirt for an ironic, but fun look. The statement tees that look best with jackets are the ones with single words across the chest. It is best to pick tees with simple fonts when you pair them with multiple pieces.


Another fun look is more appropriate for warmer climates. Statement tees look great with a cute pair of shorts. If you know you are going in and out of air conditioned places, it can be helpful to have a chambray shirt tied around your waist so you can throw it on quickly if you get cold. Some women will also wear a warm-weather scarf as a fun accessory. You can wear strappy sandals or your favorite canvas sneakers with an outfit like this.

Our Bring It Up breast shapers can help keep everything covered, even if the tees are white and somewhat sheer.

Hot Holiday Fashion: How to Wear Boots Winter 2015

Photo courtesy of OutsideOnline.com

Boots and booties are the hottest trend in footwear right now. Long gone are the days where women had to spend hundreds of dollars to get a great pair of boots. They have become so affordable that women can have several pairs to wear with all types of outfits.


Popular Booties


One of the most popular styles of boots right now is the ankle bootie. These are short boots that stop right above the ankle. They usually have a strong heel and some details. These short boots look fantastic with jeans and leggings. In most cases, they should not be worn with socks showing out of the top. They should have a clean line between the top of the boots and the bottom of the pant legs. Some women will roll their jeans at the ankle to show off the booties. With booties, there is no need to perfectly color match them, but they should be matched based on the style of your outfit. For example, a rustic oversized sweater and jeans should be paired with booties with a distressed, rugged look. A polished work outfit should be paired with clean, professional looking booties.The only thing to be alert to is if your booties look like they belong in the marching band rather that on a fashion commercial.


Winter Boots with Knit Accents


Another popular type of boot for the holidays is the leather boot that is layered with knits. These boots often have some bulk to them. This type of boot resembles the suede boots with shearling insides, but the upper has a knit or fabric detail that gives them a rustic look. Sometimes the cuff designs can be removed and changed. These look great with leggings and a big sweater for a comfortable apres-ski look. It is important not to over-accessorize with these bulky boots, but they usually look great with a coordinating infinity scarf made from a chunky or fluffy knit.



How to Wear Thigh-high Boots


Thigh-high boots are no longer reserved for party dresses and sexy outfits. They can easily be worn with everyday skirts that stop above the knee. To tone down the boots, it is best to wear a skirt in the same color as the boots so they make a long clean line together. If you live in a colder climate, you can pair colored tights with the boots to keep your legs warm. When you pick a mini-skirt to wear with thigh-high boots, the skirt should hit below the fingertips so it not too short. It can be fun to pair the skirt with a tee with a bold statement on it and a traditional peacoat



Keep It Simple in Suede


Suede boots in a calm brown can look fantastic with leggings and a long sweater dress. If the sweater dress is long enough, tights in a complementary color can also accentuate the beautiful suede boots. Many women will add a pair of long socks or boot cuffs to peek out of the top for a little extra accessorizing.

No Longer a One and Done: Wear That Bridesmaid Dress Again

How many times have you been told that you can wear the bridesmaid dress again? How many times have you actually done that? Instead of shelving the bridesmaid dress, never to see it again, it is time to learn how to wear a bridesmaid dress again without looking like you just stepped from the dance floor at the reception.


Alterations Can Work


The first step to wearing a bridesmaid dress again is to look for the positives of the dress and what can be changed. Even though women are wearing maxi dresses, long bridesmaids dresses are often too dressy to wear to anything other than a wedding. If you want to wear a long dress again, it might be worth it to have it hemmed to a shorter length. Or, if the length is perfect, but the top is too dressy, a tailor can remove the formal aspects. After spending hundreds on a dress to wear once, it is worth it to spend a few more dollars to make the dress wearable during the day.


Accessorize to Perfection


Once you have altered the dress to fit your wearability rules and style, the next step is to look at the accessories you can pair with it. In many cases, you might not have to alter the dress at all if you can hide the unwanted aspects of the dress with a gorgeous scarf, a statement necklace, or a casual jacket or cardigan. When you use accessories to change the look of a statement dress, like a bridesmaid dress, it is important to not overdo it because you could run the risk of looking silly. You could pair a scarf or necklace with a cardigan, but not both the scarf and necklace. If you are using a statement piece, you should keep the rest of your jewelry subdued, too.


Casual Shoes Make the Outfit


Another way to get the bridesmaid dress to work outside of the wedding is to pair it with unexpected shoes. One of the best ways to “dress down” a dressy dress is to pair it with casual sneakers. Do not wear socks or hosiery and do not wear athletic shoes with your dress. You can also wear booties or casual sandals to dress down the bridesmaid dress. Do not wear pumps or dressy shoes because those shoes will immediately make the dress look like a bridesmaid dress again.


Be Yourself


Hats can make any dress look casual. Floppy sun hats, fedoras, and other casual hats can make a long dress look like it belongs at a cool outdoor concert. If you pair the hat with a long cardigan and subtle jewelry, no one will have clue that you are wearing a dress that celebrated a new marriage.


There are plenty of ways to change-up a bridesmaid dress to make it wearable on the street, at work, and while hanging out with friends. The key to being able to wear the dress is to style it your way so that you are comfortable.

Weddings 101: Keep Your Dress a Secret

In the world of selfies and social media, keeping anything a secret is a special challenge. Once you share that your are getting married, one of the first things that everyone wants to know is what your dress is going to look like. While many brides do love to share the look of their wedding dress with their social media contacts, there are brides who want to keep the actual dress a complete secret until the moment they appear at the top of the aisle. If you are one of the brides that wants her dress to remain a complete secret, here are a few tips to protect the dress until the day of the wedding:


1. Tell everyone your plans. Communication is the key to success. From the very beginning of your wedding announcement, you must tell the people who think they will be involved in picking out your dress that you are going to do this on your own to keep it a secret. If someone is offended by your decisions, then you should take a moment to talk to this person about your decision and that you hope that person will respect it.

2. Make good people choices. After you have announced your decision about the super-secret-wedding-dress, you should pick the people or person who shops with you very carefully. Bridesmaids and family members love to help with dress shopping, so be sure that you pick the one or two people who will be honest and will keep your secret. However, it might even be best to just go shopping on your own. The old adage from Benjamin Franklin, “Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead” was written out of experience. You will know when you find the dress the love and it will not matter if your best friend or your favorite cousin happens to be there when you see it.

3. Let your bridesmaids pick their dress styles. One of the surest ways to disclose a secret wedding dress style is by picking a bridesmaid dress that looks similar. Instead, let your bridesmaids pick from a collection of dresses in the same color. Since bridesmaids come in all shapes and sizes, your attendants will appreciate the opportunity to pick from dresses in a style that will fit their body and style. You can give them a handful of your favorite styles to choose from so you are still in control of the look of your wedding and having the dresses in the same color will make your dress stand out.

4. Pick something to share. Since people will want to know something about your wedding look, you can give a little preview of something to feed their imaginations. Maybe you show a sliver of your shoe, or a swatch of the bridesmaid fabric, or a petal from a flower you plan to carry. By giving a tiny preview, you keep people interested and you will make many of them forget that you wanted to keep your dress a secret.

Wedding Dresses: Be You!

photo courtesy of adoringdress.com

Dressing in all white, carrying pink roses, and wearing something blue is no longer the dream of every bride. Today’s bride wants to be herself and not follow any traditionally set rules - unless that is what she wants to do. Showing personal style is not just a trend in the bridal world, but it is one of the more difficult places to be unique. Despite the fact that most wedding dresses are still white and many brides still want to carry pink roses, there are plenty of other ways to show your unique style as you traditionally walk down that aisle.


Choose the dress you want and love. The first way to be you is to wear a dress (or something else) that you absolutely love. Maybe you choose to wear a skirt or pants and a top. Brides are no longer expected to wear the traditional white dress. You might even want to wear a dress with color, like pink, gold, or mint green.


Show your style with accessories. Maybe you do want to wear a traditional white wedding dress, but you want to accessorize in your own style. Bridal salons are full of unique accessories, like colorful sashes, glorious tiaras, and sparkling earrings. You could even go outside of the traditional accessories and pick a statement bracelet or a gorgeous necklace with a statement gem. You might even want to wear a jaunty little hat or a hippy headband that shows off your eyes.


Shoes can do it. You do not have to wear pearly white shoes under your wedding dress. If you love to wear your Chucks, then wear them! If you want to go barefoot because that is your style, go barefoot. There are so many great ways to show your individuality and shoes are one of the easiest ways to do it. If you are wearing a long dress, your guests might not even get a peek at your shoes - which can be a fun way to keep your style a secret. Or, you can make your shoes a true focal point by wearing a dress that highlights them!


Hair it goes. Your hairstyle can also show your style. Even with a traditional bridal style, you can have fun and be you. Maybe you have a strand of hair that you color pink, or you include a decoration like your favorite tropical flower. Since most people will be seeing your back during the ceremony, this is where you can plan to have the most stylish fun with your hairdo. Since this is the only time you will have bridal hair, take the opportunity to have fun and show off your gorgeous locks.


Bridesmaids can have fun, too. Along with your own personal style, your bridesmaids can be themselves, too. Some brides are letting their bridesmaids pick their own dresses. If this lack of bridal-control scares you, you could let them pick a style of a dress in a certain color, or a color in a certain style. If you want them all in the same dress, maybe you let them choose their shoes or their hair styles. The personal style will only add to the fun of getting married because your bridesmaids will be comfortable, which makes them more relaxed and ready to enjoy your day!

Vintage Wedding Dress

Photo courtesy of alfredangelo.com

Vintage seems to never go out of style, which is why it is having a revival in the wedding industry. Vintage wedding dresses have a style that simply cannot be reproduced by today’s designers. The intricate lace work, the headpieces, and the accessories evoke a feeling from days long gone, but when added to a modern wedding they seem fresh and new. While some designers try to recreate the feeling of a wedding dress from the 1930s, 1950s, or 1960s, the textiles still look like they were made now. The only way to go vintage is to purchase and wear a dress that was made by a designer from the decade you love.


Before you commit to buying an actual vintage gown, there are a few important considerations. The first is the condition of the gown. Some fabrics do not weather well and can truly fall apart over time. If you are buying the gown online, you could easily be tricked by photographs. So, before you buy, you should see the gown up close and in person. If it is not possible to actually touch the dress before you buy it, ask the seller to show it to you via Skype or another face-to-face real-time communication app.


The size of the dress only matters if it is too small. A dress that is too big can easily be altered by a professional tailor. But, if a dress is too small, it can be challenging to find vintage fabric to match. You could spend more on the replacement fabric that you did on the entire dress! Because you are buying a dress from decades past, it is important to understand that it will most likely need alterations and a professional cleaning. Since you will be wearing this dress for your wedding, you want it to look its best, so the money you spend will be an investment.


When you shop for your vintage dress, you should look at what you can do with the dress, not just what the dress can do for you. If the dress has a beautiful neckline or a full tulle skirt, what accessories can you add to accentuate those details. If you are using part of the dress to add to another one, look at the little details you can take from both dresses to incorporate them into one special gown. Sometimes the silhouette of a vintage dress is so perfect that the dress does not need to be changed at all. If you find that perfect gown, you could even create a vintage feel through the wedding and reception. Keep your options open when you decide to go vintage.


Wearing vintage means you can be playful with your hair. There are plenty of beautiful hair pieces that can create the perfect look to compliment your dress. Bird cage veils are popular because they flatter most dress styles and hairstyles, too. You never know what you will find in your grandmother’s cedar chest or at your local vintage shop.


Since vintage dresses are often shorter than modern cuts, beaded shoes can be a fun way to add your personal style to your wedding. It can be difficult to find vintage shoes, but it is relatively easy to find shoes with vintage styling. Since shoe textiles have not changed much, it is easy to fool people with modern shoes that look like they are vintage.

Decorative Nipple Covers

Decorate Your Girls


We all know lingerie is sexy, but no lingerie is sexier. When you want to have a little fun with your significant other, our Double Talks will deliver your message loud and clear. These fun little nipple covers are not only useful for a night of fun, but they are also useful to wear in place of a bra when are wearing something backless or low-cut. They are also fun to wear under a bridal or formal gown, too.


Get Sexy Now

If you have never tried nipple covers, the Double Talk Scented-Messages Covers are a perfect choice for your first time. These covers are easy to put on and even easier to take off. They are comfortable; you will not even notice you have them on. Since they come in several fragrances, you will not only feel comfortable and covered, but you will smell great, too! The fragrances include sexy options like coconut, strawberry, and rose. They also come with adorable saying that you can show off when you are ready to reveal them to your significant other!


Have Fun with Your Loved One


You do not have to save these sexy covers for the bedroom or for under your clothing. There are several other places that you can decorate your girls with these Double Talk Covers. While you should not wear them to work or out for a fancy dinner, there are a few places that they are appropriate to wear without anything over them. If you are out on a boat, enjoying the sunshine and your loved one, the covers would give you fun tan lines. You could also wear them with a sexy Halloween costume - just be careful when you are out trick-or-treating!! You could also don them when you are hanging out by the swimming pool or on a private beach. When you go to your favorite nightclub, you can wear them with your favorite low cut neckline showing enough to provide a little peek-a-boo of tops of the hearts.


Let Your Covers do the Talking


We know that everyone loves the messages on conversation hearts, so we have paired the perfect words with the perfect colors. When you want to look a bit angelic, our white hearts say either ¨Just Married¨ or ¨99% Angel.¨ Our pink hearts say ¨Love You,¨ ¨I’m Sexy & Know It,¨ and ¨Crazy 4 U.¨ The lavender hearts say ¨Text Me,¨ ¨U Rock,¨ ¨I Need a Stiff One,¨ and ¨Party Girl.¨ We also have white hearts that are anything but angelic; they say ¨Bad Girl¨ and ¨Wet & Wasted.¨


Easy to Apply


Our nipple covers are both reusable and disposable. They are easier to apply when you do not have any lotions or oils on your body, which is fine when it comes to our fragrant covers because they already have scent included. If you clean your skin with some rubbing alcohol, they will stick better and will last all day or night. They do not have any adhesive where they cover the nipple, which adds to the comfort.

Your Shoes: Your Personality

Women have a love affair with shoes. There are plenty of reasons why shoes are the favorite accessory for women. First of all, they always fit, even on your most bloated days. Secondly, they can help women feel a certain way. Thirdly, they last a long time, so they seem more like an investment than an expense. It is true that women can show their attitudes through the shoes they choose to wear, it is also true that the shoes you pick show something about you.


Look through your shoe racks and take note of what type of shoes you have the most of. That type of shoe has become your favorite for a reason. It could be because they are extremely comfortable or possibly even because they are incredibly sexy. Here are a few of the popular styles of shoes and what they show about their owners:


Ballet Flats: These comfortable little shoes make a girl look like a girl. They also add a retro feel to many outfits, especially when they are paired with skirts or slightly cropped pants. It is difficult to make a pair of ballet flats look edgy.


Bold sneakers: You like to exercise and you are not afraid to show it. You have so many sneakers that you do not need to save them for the gym. With statement sneakers, you can even wear them with your professional clothing, which really shows that you are edgy and tough.


Birkenstocks: Your are laid back. While these comfortable sandals have been on-trend lately, the ultimate Birk-wearer knows these kicks last forever and are incredibly comfortable. You might even be the person who loves to be barefoot - all of the time.


Chic Pumps: Whether you wear them in black, red, white, or metallics, a great pump always looks sexy. There is no way to make them look frumpy - and you know it, which is why you wear these. The woman with the closet full of pumps and stilettos is sexy and she is not afraid to show it.


Slip-ons: From Toms to Vans, the slip on looks a bit tomboyish. You are a casual person and you need a shoe you can get in and out of quickly and easily. You might not be able to wear these to work, but you can wear them everywhere else!


Tiny sandals: The beach is your favorite place to be and you are confident with your feet. Women who wear sandals usually prefer to wear no shoes at all.


Rainboots: These fun shoes show that you are practical - sort of. You are prepared for the weather, but if you have more than one pair of rainboots, you like to splurge, too.


Fashion boots: If you have plenty of fashion boots in your closet, you probably live in a cold place. You like the feeling of your feet and legs being covered. Since some boots are quite sexy, you might even be the type of person who has an understated sex appeal.

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Build Confidence with the Clothes You Wear

When you want to improve your self confidence, look no further than your wardrobe. Think about how great you feel when you are wearing your favorite dress with perfect shoes and accessories. There is no reason to not feel this way every time you step out of the house.



With body awareness at an all time high, women are concerned with the way they look most of the day. Some experts say that women think negative thoughts about their bodies over 10 times each day. But, if your closet is filled with clothes that make you look and feel great, you do not have to be the average woman with above average negative self-talk.


One of the best ways to build self esteem and show your confidence to the world is to accentuate your assets. Maybe you have strong shoulders or a beautiful decolletage. You might even have an hourglass shape. Or, maybe your intoxicating green eyes are what make you feel special. No matter what part of your body you want to show off, there are clothes that will do it for you. It is easy to show off amazing eye color with tops or scarves in complementary colors. You can show off your shoulders with necklines that accentuate the shape. You can show off your cleavage with the right neckline, too.


Something to consider about showing off your assets is that you do not want to show off all of your assets. You can accentuate a bust line without baring all. In some cases, accentuating features means that you avoid certain clothing cuts. For example, if you do have a full bust, you should avoid wearing tops that hang at the bust line, because they will not curve the rest of your body and can make you look like you are wearing a tent. You can show off your strong shoulders by wearing clothes that fit at the waist, too.


When you know what looks good on your body, you can dress your body perfectly every day of the week. You do not have to wait for special occasions to look your best. You can find fabrics that feel good on your skin and hang in all the right places. You can even find accessories that make your fingers, wrists, ankles, and feet look just as good, too.


Creating self-confidence with your clothing is also dependent on what you wear underneath your clothes, You can show off your shoulders, but if you wear the wrong undergarments, you can be uncomfortable or create unwanted bulges and wrinkles. One way to avoid discomfort or poor fit is to turn to Bring It Up for the perfect undergarment. Our nipple covers, breast lifters, and breast shapers can seriously boost confidence quickly. Your favorite outfits will look and feel even better when you do not have to worry about bra straps or unwanted back bulges.

Do You Really Need a Bra?

According to a study from France, the answer is no. This study actually showed that over time, bras do more harm than good. The study that ended in this result was conducted over a period of 15 year and looked at women who wore and did not wear bras. The researchers found that women who did not wear bras actually had more muscle tissue to help keep breasts lifted. They also found that women who wore bras had more sag as they aged than women who did not wear them. But, the question still remains, do you need to wear a bra?


To Support or Set Free?


Even though the study suggests that women are better off not wearing one, women who have worn them for years should continue to provide support somehow. Since the breast tissue cannot support itself, bras are necessary for maintenance. But, if you do decide not to wear a bra, the products at Bring It Up can provide lift and coverage. Our patented product does what bras do while still letting muscle tissue do its work.


Easy Breathing


One of the benefits of not wearing a bra is the ability to breathe more comfortably. Some women find bras so restrictive that they are unable to take relaxing deep breaths. Women who wear Bring It Up Instant Breast Lifts do not need to worry about straps and bands being too tight throughout the day. Our adhesive and design make the Breast Lifts very comfortable for women to wear all through the day. It does not matter if you are an A-cup or larger than a D-cup - the Bring It Up Instant Breast Lifts work for every size!


Look for Lift


The French study in 2013 saw the same results as a study conducted in Japan in the 1990s. They both found that breasts that were continually covered by bras were more likely to develop stretch marks. The researchers also noticed that nipples on freed breasts actually lifted closer to shoulders than nipples that were covered by bras through the day.


Pros and Cons


The jury is still out on the whole bra or no-bra debate. There are plenty of perfectly good reasons to not wear a bra and to wear a bra. One of the most popular reasons to wear a bra is shaping. Bras provide sexy shapes, especially if you are wearing a bra that lifts and separates! They also provide coverage, especially in a world where nipples are taboo. Bras keep everything nicely contained, so women do not have to worry about the awkwardness of shimmying, shaking, and swaying.


The Best of Both Worlds


On the other side, not wearing a bra is incredibly liberating (maybe that is why feminists burned them decades ago). Even though bras are sexy, naked breasts are even sexier. Bras are not only restricting around the chest, but they can also create serious discomfort on the shoulders when straps dig in. If you decide to wear Breast Shapers, Instant Breast Lifts or Nipple Covers from Bring It Up, you get the best of both worlds without any of the discomfort.

How do I know that my breasts sag?

Although this question might seem moot, it is a question that I frequently get asked by women, because doctors and the general public define breast sagging and Ptosis differently.

Some women think of their breasts as sagging if they have to wear a bra to hold them up! On the other hand, there are many women who feel that some degree of sagging is actually normal and natural. Unlike the public, the medical establishment defines breast sagging mostly based on the position of the nipple and its relationship to the breast mount.

Instead, I find most women define sagging based not on the position of the nipples but on the extent of breast tissue descent on the chest wall.

Therefore to answer the questions that "are my breasts sagging", I recommend the following tests:

The Pencil Test

Place a pencil under the breast under-fold and if your breasts hold the pencil, then you have sagging.

The Bra Test

Do you need a bra to keep your breasts up on your chest? Do your breasts fall when you remove your bra? If your answer is yes, then your breasts sag.

Please note that these tests are not very reliable, because you can have breast tissue that is held up well, while the nipples are pointing to the floor! Therefore, the cosmetic surgeons define and classify the degree of breast Ptosis as followed;

Degrees of Breast Ptosis or Sagging.

Ptosis is a sagging condition where the breast both falls on the chest, and points downward. Cosmetic surgeons determine the degree of Ptosis according to the position of the nipple relative to that of the inframammary fold – the fold under the breast. Officially, a young breast that is not sagging is defined as one where the nipple sits above the level of the Inframammary fold, where the bra wire goes.

The following are the degrees of ptosis that your cosmetic surgeon will considering in determining your need for a Breast Lift:

Grade I- Minor Ptosis

Nipple is at the level of the Inframammary fold.

Grade II- Moderate Ptosis

Nipples have dropped below the level of the breast crease, but still higher that the majority of he breast mount.

Grade III- Advanced Ptosis

Nipples have dropped below the level of the Inframammary fold, and just at the level of maximum breast projection.

Healthy Foods

Photo courtesy of AARP Top Super Foods

Favorite Healthy Recipes


Looking good and feeling good involves eating healthy food. All too often, we reach for something that is easy to eat and quick to make. Heavily processed foods have become more than just a convenience; they have become a lifestyle. Unfortunately, those processed foods tend to make us feel tired and lethargic. When you are working on building a healthy lifestyle, it is vital to eat well and to eat real food that has not been processed.


Flavors or Preparation


Once you start looking around for healthy recipes, you will quickly find some favorites. Depending on your abilities in the kitchen, your favorite recipes could vary dramatically from those of your friends and loved ones. Some people will pick favorite recipes based on the flavors they experience, some will pick them based on the ease of preparation. You might even be able to find some recipes that you can prepare in advance and freeze to use throughout the week.


Learning Techniques for Healthy Cooking


After you have prepared your favorite healthy recipes, you can begin to experiment with them. Maybe you have a favorite soup, but you want to add more spices? You can look to foodie blogs to find out what spices would pair nicely with the ones that are already in it. Once you learn how to cook with healthy ingredients, you can also learn to alter other favorite recipes. Maybe you have a soup recipe that uses heavy cream. Your healthy cooking experiences could lead you to replace the fat-laden heavy cream with a lighter half-and-half instead.


Searching for Recipes


Looking for healthy recipes is almost as fun as preparing them. The Internet is full of well-crafted blogs and websites that are full of recipes to meet the needs of health-conscious readers. There are blogs about eating vegan or vegetarian. There are blogs about juicing recipes and smoothie recipes, so you can get your fresh fruits and vegetables in easy and delicious ways. You can also learn about healthy substitutions, so you can still enjoy a dessert, but not feel guilty after you finish eating it. You can also find flavorful recipes for gluten-free diets. Many people use the Internet so they can eat as much local food as they can find.


Add Organic Produce


When you are looking to make dietary changes, you can turn to organic ingredients to make your food more exciting. Since organic fruits and vegetables are free of pesticides, dyes, and other chemical additives, the foods taste significantly better. Many people do not like to eat fruits and vegetables because they have never really tasted the foods, but once they find out how flavorful these natural, healthy foods can be, it is much easier to make healthy diet changes.


Share on Social Media


When you find a favorite recipe or blog, be sure to bookmark it or put on your social media sites so you do not lose the links. Your friends and loved ones might even want to try the recipe and then share their favorites with you!

Photo courtesy of everydaypaleo.com/paleo-skin-care-options/

Natural Skin Care Remedies


At Bring It Up, we appreciate the natural look and caring for the body with products that are free of harmful chemicals. Many of the drugstore and beauty counter products that are recommended for skin care end up being filled with harsh ingredients that do more damage than good. Then, after you put the first damaging product on your face, you wash it off, then put another damaging product on your face. In many cases, the damaging products are counterintuitive to what you want to repair. Fortunately, there are several natural products that work wonders.


Cleanse Oil with Oil


Oil cleansing may sound like it would never work, because we usually want less oil on our faces and bodies. But, oily skin cleans better when oil is used. Oil cleansing is best done at night with the a mix of oil that is perfect for your skin type. If you have dry skin, a 3 to 1 mix of olive oil and castor oil is ideal. Normal skin needs a balance of the two oils, but oily skin needs the opposite mix for dry skin. If you prefer to avoid castor oil, you can mix olive oil with oils like sweet almond, jojoba, or avocado.


Cleaning your skin with oil is done with a washcloth, the oil mixture, and hot water. You first put a dollop of oil in your hands and rub it together to warm it. Then rub the oil on your face or other part of the body. Massage it deeply into your pores and enjoy this luxurious self-pampering experience. Once your pores are softened, then put hot water (not scorching) on a washcloth and place the cloth over your face and relax for about 20 to 30 seconds. Then, use the washcloth to wipe away extra oil. You can put a little more oil on your face if it feels dry after the treatment.


Witch Hazel to Tone the Skin


Another useful natural product is witch hazel which acts as a toner. When you mix witch hazel with apple cider (⅓ cider to ⅔ witch hazel), you can nicely balance the pH on your skin and fight acne naturally. You should avoid getting it in your eyes and gently pat it on your face twice per day. You could use this on sensitive parts of the body or those that tend to get acne or folliculitis.


Enjoy the Bath with Natural Additives


Skin care remedies can be done in the bathtub, too. A nice natural way to relax and pamper the skin is with colloidal oatmeal. This is simply oatmeal that has been ground to a fine powder. You can add colloidal oatmeal to a bath of warm water, the oatmeal will moisturize the skin from top to bottom. Epsom salts take care of the skin and the rest of the body, too. A warm epsom salts bath will relax you, remove toxins from the body, and soften the skin. Epsom salts come without a fragrance, so you can add you own favorite essential oil, or you can buy the salts with fragrances like eucalyptus, camomile, or lavender.

Better Posture

photo courtesy of huffington post

Better Posture - Easy Exercises


When you want to change your attitude and the way that people act around you, work on your posture! This is one of the easiest physical changes to do, but you do have to commit to the task. Improving posture involves working on the core, which includes the front abdominal muscles and it involves working the back, too. In many cases, the back is under developed, which is why so many people slouch forward. It is also necessary to focus on the shoulders, too. Here are a few exercises that you can do:


Backbend.
You do not have to do exercises that gymnasts do to work on your back. One easy backbend to incorporate in your life involves lying flat on your belly with your legs straight behind you and your arms on the floor with your fingers reaching for your toes. Squeeze your inner thighs, knees, heels, and toes together as you lift your head, shoulders, and check up off of the floor. Reach your arms back toward your heels and keep squeezing the lower body together. Hold for a few breaths and lower back down. Repeat one more time.


Forward bend.
Instead of doing crunches, this exercise will strengthen the core nicely. For this forward bend, you need to stand up and step your right leg forward about two to three feet. Keep the right toes pointing forward, but turn the left toes out at a 45 degree angle. Square your hips. Then, reach your arms up over your head and interlace your fingers. Squeeze your arms at your ears, tuck your chin to your chest, and fold over that front leg. You want to push your forehead into your knee and push your fingertips into the floor in front of the right toes. When you lower down, suck in your belly. Then, when you come back up, squeeze the arms and hands back together and lift up slowly. You will feel your belly working. Repeat on the other side. Then, repeat both sides again.


Work those shoulders.
Some of the most enjoyable shoulder exercises involves using a wall. Stand facing any wall. You want to be about half of an arm’s length away from the wall. Reach your arms up and push your palms into the wall. Then, tuck your chin to your chest and push the hands firmly into the wall. Let your shoulder blades squeeze together as you strengthen the shoulders. Bring your hands off of the wall. For the next exercise, turn to the right, so the left side of your body is up against the wall. Reach your left arm behind you and bring it to shoulder height. Turn your torso away from the wall and notice the front of the shoulder stretching. Repeat on the other side. You can repeat these two exercises another time for extra stretch and strengthening.


While there are plenty of other exercises that will improve your posture, it is important to be aware of your posture even when you are not exercising. Think about keep your shoulders back and your spine tall. Mindfulness with help you just as much as exercises.