Bone Brewhouse | The Surprising Skincare Secret You Need RN

Skincare > makeup. 

Since turning 40 (dun dun dunhhhh), I've discovered just how important it is to try to not look 40. I mean, I'm all about aging gracefully or whatever but personally, I'd prefer not to run into highschool randos at the grocery store and have them run back to all their friends and tell them how old I look. Superficial? Maybe. It's fine. 

I have a visceral fear of having needles jabbed into my face - I mean, the thought alone is enough to make me break into a sweat - so that's out for now. And I don't love drinking water. So, I try to stay active and eat relatively healthy, with a generous side of daily Dairy Milk chocolate bars and wine.

If you're still reading, thank you. Clearly, I'm not someone you should be following for health advice. But I feel like my skin hasn't looked this good in awhile, so thought I should share what I'm doing.

The answer, beauties? Bone broth. I swear. I've taken supplements in the past but I begin the bottle aggressively and enthusiastically, and then, I start to forget. Time rolls on and then 2 years later when I look in the mirror and see an old person, I reach up into my bin of vitamins and realize they've expired. And my skin cries. End of story. 

I've heard for awhile now that bone broth is a go-to for New Yorkers looking to stay youthful. Forever motivated by all things yummy and New York-related, I decided to give it a go when Bone Brewhouse reached out and offered to deliver a 6-pack Sampler Box right to my porch. You're telling me I can boost my immunity and build collagen while eating good things? Best news ever. 

Bone Brewhouse, if you haven't already heard, brews up a mean bone broth right here in Canada. It's slow-cooked, all natural, and preservative, gluten, dairy & soy free. I've been trying to stay healthy and stay young, so turns out this is the perfect answer for me. Bone broth is said to reduce joint pain and inflammation, improve hair, skin and nail health, all while strengthening and supporting the immune system. 

I've been cooking with Bone Brewhouse bone broth for 3 weeks now and my skin already looks firmer, more glow-y, and my nails feel stronger. I've tried all of the flavours and they're all delish but my fave right now is the pho and the chicken. I think I just need a good recipe that calls for beef broth. Any suggestions? Some people sip it on its own (which the purists do) but I'm more about making soups with it. So far I've made pho a few times and it was pho-king fabulous. Ha. (see below)

In the colder months, I'm also a huge fan of making soup out of roasted root vegetables so instead of using basic (ugh) chicken broth in my recipe, I've now switched to using Bone Brewhouse instead. BTW, this is my go-to recipe. It's the best. 

I roast carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, parsnips and onions at 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. But really, pick any root vegetable you like and then blend in a food processor with your broth. Dayumm girrrl, it's so good. If you're wondering, the homemade croutons are well worth an extra 5 minutes of your time. 

Looking to boost your skincare routine, too? Bone Brewhouse bone broths are now available 24/7 on their website so you can get a safe and free doorstep delivery. Simply choose your fave flavours and they’ll deliver your frozen broths straight to your doorstep. Easy, peasayyy. They currently deliver to select areas of Ontario but are working hard to bring Canada-wide shipping soon. Be sure to order by Monday at midnight for delivery by Wednesday or Thursday.

Thanks Bone Brewhouse. I love you and am thrilled to make this a part of my routine. My 30-something-looking skin thanks you ever so much :) 

SMOOTH OPERATOR | My Top DIY Tricks for Summer Smooth Skin

 

After months hiding out under parkas and pants, my skin always comes out pale, dry, and sullen-looking in the spring. And so, like a good spring cleaning, I always need to coax my skin back into shape once the warm weather hits. Since I’ve been lucky to work with editors, beauty bloggers and models in my career, I’ve picked up loads of useful tips along the way. Some of my fave go-to tips hardly cost anything but are super effective all the same.

While I’m loaded with ideas for smooth skin, my hair removal M.O. is as basic as it gets. Men’s razor. Done. Nair asked me to test out their new Nair Cire Divine formula and share my verdict. I’ll be honest - I was skeptical. I mean, that scene of Steve Carrell in The 40 Year-Old Virgin is enough to make anyone sprint screaming from wax. I was assured that this new formula is next-gen, designed to adhere to the hair and less to the skin, making it less painful and more effective than the old formulations. Plus, argan oil and orange blossom makes skin soft and smell pretty, too. I tried it. I liked it. Yes, even my sensitive bikini line is smooth, soft and ready for the beach.

Ready to get your body beach-ready, too? Give Nair Cire Divine a go, then try these summer smooth skin tricks:

 

1)    WALK | From my face to my body, my skin just feels way better when I sweat a little. If you can’t get motivated to hit the gym, take advantage of the spring weather and head outside. I get my 10,000 steps a day by walking my kids to school and back each day and jumping around my house at night to make up the rest. My skin has improved and my body has toned up in a surprisingly short amount of time. The surprising side effect? Movement makes you thirsty which makes you actually crave…

2)    WATER | I normally have the hardest time drinking enough water. I mean, I’m lucky if I get 3 glasses of water a day, even though it’s the #1 beauty tip on every list out there. But since I started walking more, I’m easily getting my 8 glasses.

3)    DIY GOMMAGE | After experiencing a Hammam Gommage Treatment, I realized that while I always thought my skin was soft, I had NO idea of my skin’s true potential. I now make my own gommage at home. After waxing, mix honey & sea salt into a paste, spread it on, then use it to exfoliate your skin in the shower. The result? Impossible baby softness, even on rough places like feet, knees and elbows. 

4)    BABY OIL | When I used to model scout, I’d often hit up models for beauty advice. One trick I still swear by? Use a little baby oil all over at the end of your shower, then give your body a quick rinse. I used to use regular baby oil but now opt for more natural version from Burt’s Bees. Game-changing.

5)    SLEEP WITH YOUR SOCKS ON | Stubborn dry feet messing with your perfect pedicure? Slather coconut oil on feet then sleep with little sport socks on. Bonus points if they’re white because white socks are SO hot.  

New Nair Cire Divine Moroccan Argan Oil Wax’s unique ‘Bye-Bye Ouch’ formulation adheres perfectly to the hair, and less to the skin reducing the uncomfortable sensation (discomfort) associated with waxing. Learn more at: http://naircare.ca 

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Church & Dwight via Mode Media Canada. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Church & Dwight.