Oulimata Gallet by Elena Iv-skaya for ELLE Germany Magazine , May 2021

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Oulimata Gallet by Elena Iv-skaya for ELLE Germany Magazine , May 2021
‘A Room with a View’ by E. M. Forster (published in 1908)
I love to see it
How I take care of my skin 🐝
Part 1 💗
Your skin is one of your best investments, it'll be with you for life so you better take care of it !
Keep in mind with all of this I am a woman of colour with fairly resilient skin 😂
How I got rid of my keratosis pilaris
Like most women of colour, I used to struggle with keratosis pilaris or what others call strawberry legs
I never really liked having the small dots on my body, so as soon as I could I found remedies and formed a routine to combat it
Acids
Acids are my best friend and have helped me the most in my journey.
I'm picky with the acids I use on my face because it's more sensetive, I only use
Lactic acid
Mandelic acid
Azelaic acid
But please do your own research on that is best for your skin type.
On my body, specifically my legs, I use glycolic or salicylic acid toners to deeply exfoliate my skin and this is a big part if your goal is to get it of KP.
Exfoliation Exfoliation Exfoliation
For physical exfoliants a good salt and sugar scrub always does the job as well as regular use of exfoliating gloves.
Before going into acids you really need to do your research on what acids can't mix together or can't be layered and how the acid actually works.
In my research I found out that women of colour who struggle with hyperpigmentation like myself should stay away from the regular use of harsh chemical and physical exfoliants cause our skin is sensetive and the reaction that causes hyperpigmentation and excessive melanin production in a certain area is sort of a defense mechanism and if you keep pushing at it with harsh products it will obviously react defensively. As for women who are not of colour you can get away with harsher products but you need to keep up with SPF😉.
Sunscreen and Sunglasses
This part is as important as the acids and scrubs.
And is my favourite topic 😂
After all the exfoliation one of the worst things you can do is walk out in the sun without sunscreen or protection from the sun.
No matter if you are white, black, purple, red, blue or green, YOU NEED TO PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM THE SUN!
Decide on which sunscreen you want to use,
Physical/Mineral or Chemical
The ones which are ashy and blue-ish are normally physical/mineral (I prefer these)
Chemical are clear or white and are greasy most times and make my skin feel very hot, like the heat is absorbed by the sunscreen and there's just hot oil sitting on my face and depending on certain factors can cause chemical reactions to happen while it's on the skin, which is not what I want but it all depends on you and your needs, some people don't react to chemical sunscreens but I do sometimes.
Finding a good sunscreen that works for you is a priority
And if you use sunscreen I recommend double cleaning as well
Don't get acids if you don't have a good sunscreen !
For those who use acids on the face and for people who care about their facial skin in general😂, a pair of good UV protection sunglasses is a must to further protect your skin, thank you @ratchetprime for reminding me 💙
When I didn't have protection glasses I used to get freckles around my eyes or close to my eye area and the area was always sensitive and I didn't know why :/ but later after getting them and continuing my routine for a week or two they began to disappear :)
Together with acid, exfoliation and sun protection I managed to get rid of my hyperpigmentation and KP
I'm still learning but this has what has helped me so far !
Please do your own research and be gentle and patient with your skin💚
Tell me if you guys want a part 2 about my personal routine of moisturising, making your skin glow and fragrance 💗✨
we all want new beginnings but we rarely talk about what has to end and be left behind to make room for bigger and better.
this is the thought i had yesterday.. i was excited and amazed to finally be on the brink of this new chapter (“book” really) but it struck me that i’d really have to leave all of this behind. this is the wobbliness that we experience with manifesting, succeeding and growing that can sometimes sabotage us. we want better but we also loved/felt comfort in what was.
when you’re standing in the point between the old and new, remember that the old is already gone. staying won’t guarantee it’s survival, it’s already dead. don’t stay. don’t stagnate. just like anything else, you will weaken and you will decompose. move forward scared and unsure. it’s okay to just be able to see your own feet in the beginning. it’s a process. think of your path being lit by motion sensing lights. you gotta walk out in faith before more will be revealed.
affirm daily: i love me. i love myself. i love who i am. i love who i was. i love who i am becoming. i honor myself. i respect myself. i value myself. i am my own greatest gift. i am grateful for this life and all i experience. i love me.
Abundance is coming, I deserve it and accept it.
Summer'21 Prep&Plan
I am using this summer as a chance to completely reset my life and glow up, and you should too <3
Here's what you need to do to have the best summer ever:
Phase 1 (Plan)
Figure out what you want out of this summer, get crystal clear on who you want to be by the end of the summer
Identify the goals to get you there, for every aspect of your life (school/ work/ health/ personal/ etc.)
Figure out what you need to do on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to get there
Establish a Flexible daily, weekly and monthly routine that you can stick to
Make sure your plan makes it impossible for you not to follow through
Draft a shopping list (this tip is easier to do at the end), it can be anything from straight white jeans to stationary to a lip scrub to AirPods, anything that will help you reach your goals
Phase 2 (Feel your best)
Health is wealth
Get into a calories deficit/ surplus if you want to lose/ gain weight (Do not count calories if they are a trigger!!)
Establish an exercise routine and stick to it (bonus tip: make sure it lines up with your hair washdays)
10,000 steps per day minimum, taking daily walks will help you reach your goals
Dance more
Eat healthier, you can go on a diet like the keto/ Mediterranean/ paleo diet or you can take a more intuitive approach and just improve your existing eating habits
Look into fasting and it's many benefits, you can do OMAD, intermittent fasting, alternate day fasting, 24 hour fasts, 72 hour fasts, etc. but start small if you are not used to it. You can even have a schedule (eg. one 72 hour fast per month)
Make sure you are getting all your vitamins and minerals
Water (2 liters per day), but you already knew that, didn't you?
Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet
Stop snacking, unless you need to for health reasons
Quit sugar
Quit fizzy drinks (don't drink your calories)
Quit junk food (much healthier alternatives out there)
Skin
Do your research on different ingredients and products, you don't want to mess up your skin
Identify your specific sink type, needs and concerns (this is vital)
Figure out your AM and PM routine
Speaking of AM, wear your sunscreen!!
Get lip balm with SPF, my favourite is Palmer's dark chocolate and cherry
Try slugging (applying a thin layer of vaseline/ glycerin at the end of your PM routine)
De-puff your face in the morning, a Gua Sha is good for this or you could perform a facial massage with your hands
Ice your face in the morning, good for circulation and de-puffing
Use a facial oil, there are so many good ones out there, especially Argon and Rosehip oil
Do a weekly at-home facial
Apply a face mask AT LEAST once a week
Look into professional treatments if needed
Incorporate face yoga
Don't neglect your neck or chest
Establish an anti-ageing routine, prevention is better than treatment (will def have to make an in-depth post about this one)
Hair
Understanding your hair is a game changer!!
Identify your hair type, needs and concerns
Figure out how often you need to wash your hair and create a schedule
Establish a hair care routine for your washday
Establish a hair care routine for maintenance in between washdays
Treat any damage, Olaplex 3 is quite good
Oil your hair once a week or more, depending on your hair type and needs
Apply a hair mask/ a hot oil treatment as often as you can
Get henna treatments every 3 months or so
Look into dusting to maintain the health of your hair and keep up in between treatments
hair cuts, either a trim or to change up the look of your hair
Get any professional treatments if needed
The curly girl method is a good starting point if you have curly hair and don't know how to take care of it
Monthly rice water treatments
Apple cider vinegar rinse + a clarifying shampoo (no more than once a week) if you have hard water
A filter is quite good for hard water as well
Use a heat protectant, they work (if you get the right one)
Take care of your lashes and eyebrows, please.
Body care
Identify anything you want to change (stretch marks, cellulite, dark knees, etc.)
Figure out how to treat them
Establish a body care routine
Figure how to incorporate your treatments into your routine
Have a shower and after shower routine
Try to make sure all your body care is the same scent (either all vanilla or all peach or any other scent, Bath & Body Works is AMAZING for this)
Say it with me: SPF
Hand and foot creams are important, so are hand and foot masks
Use lip scrubs regularly
Weekly or bi-monthly at home or in salon manicures and pedicures
Look into dry brushing
Have a shaving/ waxing routine
Consider laser/ electrolysis/ IPL for permanent/ semi-permeant hair removal
Have a tanning routine if you want to
Use a body oil (bonus tip: make sure it shimmers for more fun)
Schedule weekly at home spa/ pamper days
Scent
I had to make this into it's own category just because it's that important (will probably be making a super in-depth post about this soon!!)
Try to make sure all your body care is the same scent (either all vanilla or all peach or any other scent, Bath & Body Works is AMAZING for this)
Use a perfume oil on your pulse points, Musk and Oud scents from high quality middle Eastern brands are good for these
Have a scent for your clothing, preferably something light and a scent that can go well with most things, vanilla/ coconut/ musky/ florally body mists are good for this
Use a hair perfume, some hair moisturizing sprays have strong scents and can be used as a perfume, make sure it's low in alcohol
Have a signature scent
Rotate between scents every once in a while, this is good for scent association
Have different scents for different occasions, also good for scent association
Experiment with layering different perfumes
Invest in good quality perfumes
Teeth
Another important one
Brush your teeth 2x at least, preferably after very meal
Floss and use mouthwash
Go to a dentist regularly
Get professional cleaning and/ or whitening if you can
Get any other treatments you need
Whiten your teeth at home
Try oil pulling
Use a tongue scraper
Phase 3 (Mental Wellbeing)
This is quite personal to you but some suggestions:
Meditate
Script daily and practice LOA
Do Yoga daily even if for 5 minutes
Figure out what you need to work on
Identify any toxic traits you have
Identify where your bad habits/ traits come from and cut off the source
Identify anything stopping you from reaching your fullest potential and work on it
See a professional if needed
Essential oils can be helpful
Get enough sleep!!
Don't waste your time on meaningless things/ people/ situations/ etc.
Change your mindset/ attitude if you don't like it
Start each day by dancing, even if for 5 minutes
Affirmations
Schedule mental health days
A journal is great for venting and clearing your mind, as well as organizing your thoughts (it's insane what happens when you visually see your thoughts on paper)
Have a good work ethic and be disciplined
Go on regular dopamine detoxes
Reduce stress (easier said than done, but try to find your triggers and healthy coping mechanisms, research all there is to know and experiment until you have it under control)
Compliment other people, and accept compliments graciously
Enjoy the small things and romanticise your life
Phase 4 (Look your best)
Fashion
Re-evaluate your wardrobe
Upgrade your basics
Look into creating a capsule wardrobe
Figure out if you are more into timeless classic pieces or trends
With that being said, be careful with trends
Dress your age
Follow dress codes, please.
Always put in effort
Quality > Quantity
Jewellery can be phenomenal for changing an outfit
Speaking of jewellery, real stones/ crystals/ gold/ silver is best
Color coordinate your outfits, make sure they look cohesive
Wear appropriate shoes
Find style inspo
Handbags can elevate an outfit like no other (my favorite bag from my collection currently is the Bottega Veneta chain pouch in black, incredibly high quality)
Invest in good quality shape wear and undergarments
Wear cute Pajamas ( Upgrade your sleepwear. Trust me.)
Makeup
Doesn't have to be insane
Less is more
Good skin will make this step a lot easier
Have 5 or so signature looks for every occasion
Learn different techniques/ hacks
Find products that work for you
Keep your routine and collection simple
Hair
Always put in effort to make sure your hair looks good
Align your washdays with important events/ your schedule
Have 5 or so styles that you like
Minimize frizz and maximise shine
Health > length
Misc.
Have a good posture
And a good tongue posture too
Smile, or smize, not too exaggerated
Phase 5 (Live your best)
Lifestyle
This is, again, quite personal but here are some pointers/ ideas
Start/ end/ continue working on any personal projects
Learn a new skill
Learn a new language
Learn new recipes
Academic/ career goals
Cultivate Friendships and relationships
Network!!
Plan a vacation
Or a staycation
Or a mini trip
If you can't travel then fill your day with fun activities (visiting museums, pilates classes, going to theaters, or exploring local towns/ cities
Make lots of plans with friends
Discover new music
Discover new shows/ movies
Quit social media, or take your instagram to the next level, whatever suits you most
Volunteer
Get a summer job
Follow only the podcasts, blogs, subreddits, accounts etc. that help you reach your goals
Keep up with the news and current world events
Learn the basics of politics, economics, history, geography and philosophy (good conversation topics that show you are educated, they are also genuinely interesting)
Organization
Notion is a game changer
Find a to-do list that works for you
Calendar blocking is a great way to plan your day
Be busy but not too busy
Plan your meals in advance
Schedule any events
Reminders on your phone for important things
Misc.
Cancel any subscriptions you don't want
Keep a diary to recount the events of day
Keep a Bullet journal for lists and fun things to note
Take pictures (Bonus points if it's on an ever so slightly grainy camera)
Figure out how you plan to maintain any changes made and the up keep, whether it be with your weekly facials/ academia/ personal projects/ etc., you have to stick with it!
This summer is going to be amazing <3
Best of luck gorgeous,
Serena
xx
-follow grits for more posts like this
r.a.i jewelry
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPBRrdDD3n2
there is no need to settle. your desires are gaining momentum and they are beginning to physically unfold. the outcomes that you have prayed for are arriving. the universe is conspiring in your favor and for your highest good.