Month: January 2018

LET’S TALK SKIN, SHALL WE?

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I’ve never thought to invest in a full on skin care regimen because throughout my should-be acne-ridden years, my skin played fairly nice. Just the regular stress induced, hormone induced or I-haven’t-cleaned-my-make-up-brushes-in-months induced breakouts.

I started to take my skincare routine a lot more serious last year. I started seeing a dermatologist, and with her help, as well as taking better care of my skin, I’ve noticed an improved difference. I’m not big on changing skin care routines every so often because I truly believe you have to allow your skin some time to adjust to the products you’re using to notice a difference.

The face wash and toner are great staples, but facial polish and glow crème that are a part of my night process are a-freaking-mazing. The polish felt like it was gently buffing away the grossness of the day and the crème just felt like silk kissing my skin, seriously.

 

NOW, ONTO MY FAVES

CLEANSER I plan to use this forever. I haven’t found anything that leaves my face so clean.

Serum 

             I love serums. I’ve been using serums for a while now. A serum preps your face for your moisturizer.

Moisturizer

I’ve been using LaMer Creme for about 2 years now. I LOVE how it feels on my skin and how it made my skin feel afterwards. My skin is pretty oily, especially my forehead and chin. So, this moisturizer is perfect. I wish it wasn’t so expensive. I alternate between LaMer and Bobbi Brown extra repair moisturizer.

Masks

Turmeric

 I have such large pores especially on my chin, so masks are a real game changer.

Exfoliating scrub

My face cleaning brush 

THE FINAL WORD

One thing I would’ve like to test is spot extractor, because I still have my regular isolated breakouts. Overall, I felt like I was treating myself to spa quality skin care every time I washed my face, and, I mean, who doesn’t like a good spa day?

 

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About me

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A long overdue blog post, but here is facts about me.

  1. I feel most like myself when I’m traveling and exploring new places.
  2. Out of all the city I’ve been to Milan is my favorite city.
  3. I’m a social butterfly, but I enjoy my privacy.
  4. Faduma Sahra (yes, I’ve two names. My dad named) is my birth name – when my mom was pregnant with me, my dad’s side of the family were expecting a boy, but my mom gave birth to girl #5 aka me lol
  5. My zodiac sign is Scorpio.
  6. I hate public transportation.
  7. I hate sleeping when I’m upset because I usually wake up in the same mood.
  8. I love taking afternoon naps.
  9. I clean and rearrange when I’m stressed.
  10. Regardless of what I’m doing, I always have a good time. I’m rarely ever bored.
  11. I would probably live in a used bookstore if I could.
  12. My mom is the only person in the world who knows exactly what to say to make me feel completely at ease.
  13. I always remind myself of this – nothing can change the qadr(what’s written) like dua (supplication)
  14. Math was my worst subject in school aside from history.
  15. I’ve been addicted to coffee since I was 17 years old.
  16. I knew I wanted to be a research scientist since 7th grade.
  17. I wasn’t a scientist, I would write children’s books.
  18. End of 2017 I left my professional job and started a nonprofit organization.
  19. Not knowing if my prayers are accepted terrifies me.
  20. Laughing and the outdoors are the best medicine for me.
  21. I’m vegetarian for almost 6 Years now.
  22. I love fashion and makeup.
  23. I rather eat savory than sweets.
  24. I don’t like chocolate.
  25. I love spicy food, but it’s difficult for me to eat because I’ve geological tongue.
  26. I love food, both cooking & eating.
  27. I’m very loyal but if you lie to me there’s no going back.
  28. I love hearing people talk about what they’re passionate about.
  29. To finish it off, I’m very ticklish, which means pedicures are hell.

Mall - my natural habitat :)

Garden Linguine for lunch

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Darlings,

You see, I always had a bit of an obsession with rice, but lately I’ve been experimenting with pasta recipes.

For some people like me, cooking offers tranquility. I get the enjoyment from seeing the yummy final product. This was an easy dish to prepare and took little to no time to go from prep to set. Healthy, and delicious.

Ingredients:

2 mushrooms
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
3 tomatoes
1/2 cup of vegetable stock
1 zucchini
1 squash
Olive oil
1 box of Linguini

-Cut up the mushrooms and finely chop the onion and the two garlic cloves
-Heat up a pan and sauté the mushrooms, onion, tomatoes and garlic in two tablespoons of olive oil
-Once the mushrooms start to golden and the onion, and tomatoes is soft, add the vegetable stock, zucchini and the squash.
-Let it simmer for 5 minutes and then season with salt and pepper.
-After the pasta is ready to serve into separate plates.
-Pour the sauce over the already served pasta and add some shaved Parmesan on top for the finishing touch.

Bon Appétit!

 

3-DAY SUJA JUICE CLEANSE

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I usually make my own juice from scratch, but I decided to try Suja juice. I didn’t start juice cleanse to lose weight. My weight is the healthiest it’s been in 4 years, and I need my clothes to fit, so losing weight isn’t a goal of mine at the moment.

So Why in the world did I decide to do a juice cleanse? To be honest, I felt like a 3 day juice cleanse would really make me feel like I was cleansing and give me softer, healthier glowing complexion. I wanted increase my energy and oxygen levels and help to rid the body of toxins and waste that my skin has excrete in the winter.

The goal for the cleanse is that you literally just drink juice and water all day.  No coffee, no solid foods — just juice.  But let me tell you, it is a lot of juice

HOW DID I FEEL?  WAS I SOOOOO HUNGRY EACH DAY??

Three days in a nutshell…

Of course the first day was the hardest; mostly because I was experiencing oral fixation. I wasn’t too hungry, but I’m used to chewing. The one thing I missed (which occasionally made me think I was hungry, but not true) was something to chew and something warm.  It was definitely an adjustment to “drink” your calories each day, and cold calories at that.  I think cleansing is more difficult in the winter when everything is already cold, but in the spring or summer it would be refreshing.

97% of the time I felt awesome. I don’t know if it was related or not, but on the afternoon of Day 2, I had a pretty fierce headache that was really bumming me out.  It could have been unrelated, but I did decide to “cheat” briefly and drink a cup of almond latte, and then felt a little better.  Take that as you will.  I think in any sort of fast or cleanse like this, the second day is often when your energy dips as your body is getting used to the new rhythm.  But goodness, overall I felt incredible.  By the end of Day 3, I felt really refreshed, full of energy, lighter, and as cliche as it may sound, I just felt healthier.  And what’s more — that feeling has lasted over the course of a week!  I think that taking a few days to get out of the rut of a few bad habits (too much snacking, too much coffee, too much salt) really helped and encouraged me to stick with it afterwards.  So, bottom line… I felt great.

WOULD I DO IT AGAIN? I feel like I would love to do the 3-day cleanse maybe a few times a year.  Great way to start the year. I love having more energy.

Love,

Faduma

 

Camelback mountain

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I love to hike up Camelback every year when I go back to phoenix. I’ve been hiking up to Camelback since my college (Too cheap to pay for a gym membership… Broke college life lol) days in phoenix, AZ. This mountain is the hardest hike I’ve accomplished in the Phoenix area. Camel’s back ridge line if not for the faint of heart. There are rails in certain parts for you to grip and pull yourself up. I had Nikes shoes – as did the majority of hikers – but proper dread would have been WAY better to provide grip and stability.

Hiking in Phoenix is very beautiful, especially once you realize that it’s going to be very different from a traditional setting. Plus, absolutely perfect weather in the wintertime is the cherry on top. The path is somewhat wide and smooth. Once we started to increase in elevation, the trail started to get rockier and there was more fancy footwork to be done.
I really enjoyed the climbing part of the hike, and before we knew it, we were at the top. Once there, we took in the views of the valley and snapped a few photos to celebrate our efforts up the mountain. On the way down, we realized the importance of hiking shoes. I was in Nikes, which were fine, though the trail is well-worn and the gravel made it slippery. We had a few moments where we almost fell, but even if we had fallen, it probably would’ve only amounted to a few scrapes and bruises. The whole trip took a little over two hours round trip, including time to stop and take photos/rest at the top (plus 15 min. Walk each way to get to/from our cars).

Overall, my experience hiking Camelback was a very positive one. It was a beautiful day, the weather was perfect, and it was just enough of a good workout without being brutal. I’d definitely return to try this trail again.

SAFETY TIPS

  1. Bring more water than you think you need
  2. On warm days, start early in the morning.
  3. Protect yourself from the sun. Camelback’s trails are exposed and do not offer shade.
  4. Wear hiking or sturdy athletic shoes

 

 

Downtown Phoenix view

Way to put yourself in a better mood

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 I love yoga and essential oils

If you come to my place 80% of the time you’ll find Tulip (My favorite)

 Diptyque, origins, Aveda candles are what I use the most

I use young living essential oils

It’s new years, new month and new week, so start right. If constantly talking about stress and complaining only amplified my misery, it is my theory that talking about just the good things (no matter how big or how small) will amplify my happiness.

I’m constantly reminded of how important self care is. My body reminds me when I need to take some time for myself. Although, I believe that we all need to take time out for ourselves regardless of what your career path is. Life has its own stressors, and sometimes we need a little time out for to regroup. As easy as that sounds, it’s not as easy for all of us to take some time out for ourselves. With the holiday season coming to an end, I wanna explore this topic here on the blog and share with you guys how I indulge in self care. I’d also love to hear from you guys how you take care a little time out for yourself.

Here’s some ways to put yourself in a better mood:

  1. BOOKS
     I love finding books. In fact, I think I’ll start planting books around the city. Goals. I Love Books that Inspire me.

  2. Organize:
    Rearrange some furniture. Changing an environment can help me feel refreshed, enabling me to bust out of a negative mood.

  3. Declutter:
    Getting organized can help us feel instantly calmer.

  4. Eat for a positive mood:
    When I eat well, I feel good.

  5. Move/ Workout:
    Do yoga, take a short walk, do some jumping jacks, run in place, dance around your room, or go for a bike ride. It can be effective in reducing stress and lifting your spirits. Might be the answer for a brighter day.

  6. Light a candle:
    Flickering flames can burn away stress and help us feel better all around.

  7. Count your blessings:
    Think about or write down what you’re thankful for. Even if there’s not time to write down everything, expressing gratitude creates an instant mood boost.

  8. Be Kind
    Kindness is probably what helped me put that mega monster of miserableness back in its place.

  9. Go somewhere quiet:
    Taking a few minutes to sit in a quiet with no external stimulation can do wonders for a bad mood.

  10. Get some sun:
    A boost of vitamin D