5 day food and fitness challenge
I have gotten SO many requests to share my secrets for glowing skin and shiny hair that I just had to do a blog post!
First of all, thank you for all of the amazing compliments!
I’m kind of a minimalist when it comes to makeup and daily maintenance because I train regularly, and sweat a lot so I just don’t have time for makeup that runs down my face – but I do love wearing it on occasion!
Fortunately, what I’m going to share with you really maximizes a beautiful complexion and healthy hair, while minimizing your need for products, weird hair vitamins, or adding a ton of extra stuff to your bathroom cabinet.
I do use some awesome products, but what I think really has the biggest impact is first and foremost…
#1: What goes IN your Body
I will start this out by saying the truth: all the products in the world won’t make a difference if what you’re putting IN your body doesn’t generate healthy cell tissue.
I attribute most of how shiny and glossy my hair is, and how clear and smooth my skin is to how I eat.
I eat whole foods, I balance the nutrients, and to stay consistent I employ a flexible 3-option food set-up system that I detail in the Body Fuel System, my essential eating guide and 6-week done for you meal plan.
When you think about the building blocks of the cells that make up your skin, hair, nails and body tissues, it all comes down to what you eat.
So focus on that #1 before spending your hard-earned money on any of the nice products I use, and really question whether you want to be taking a “hair supplement.”
If your hair isn’t glowing and growing because of a nutritional deficiency, get to the bottom of that because there are other areas of your health and life that can affect too.
You don’t want to just mask the symptom of a potential problem by forcing your hair to grow and missing the fact that you need to stop drinking soda or simply start eating more fiber.
#2: Sweat it OUT
My second reason for glowing skin and hair that grows super fast is honestly exercise. Regular exercise keeps my body in an optimal state, gives me awesome energy and boosts cell turnover.
I also regularly use a sauna. I use an infrared sauna because the light spectrum penetrates down to a cellular level, allowing me to sweat even more.
All the activities that help us sweat really unlock and purify our bodies from things we store in our cells and regulate our body temperature.
#3: Hydrate
With all that sweating, it’s vitally important to stay hydrated. I don’t know if you’ve ever listened to J Lo talk about what she attributes her flawless complexion to, but I’ve heard her speak on numerous occasions about hydration as her main “secret.”
With her high energy dance routine (exercise) and clear focus on her healthy eating, the Queen herself is working these 3 steps, and you and I can too!
#4: Hair Care
When it comes to hair, we’re all a little different – short, long, how long you can go without a wash, etc. Keep in mind that you do not need any of these things, focus on the top 3 things I shared, but since so many people have asked, this is what I use.
Timing: I wash my hair once a week. I don’t use dry shampoo (I know you’re wondering, since I work out regularly).
I let it air dry after a workout and really keep any products like hairspray, creams, gels etc to a minimum so my scalp can breathe.
I feel like my body is a smart, self-regulating organism and that most of my natural oils and growth come from what I eat, staying hydrated and exercising (see 1,2 and 3!).
Shampoo and Conditioner: I use Oribe Gold Lust shampoo and conditioner in my hair as my regular product.
I absolutely adore the smell, texture and way it cleans my hair and makes it super smooth.
I blend the conditioner with their hair mask and let it sit on for about 3-4 minutes while I’m in the shower.
Yes, not the cheapest products – but since I wash once a week I get a lot of value and time out of one bottle, even with long hair. A little goes a long way.
I have also previously (and sometimes will rotate this in) used Kevin Murphy Repair Me Wash and Repair Me Rinse. I love the smell, I love the brand, and I love the way it strengthens my hair. Both the Kevin Murphy and Oribe product lines smell incredible and are awesome for your hair.
On a budget? A great, and inexpensive hair treatment to try at home is actually coconut oil. I’ve used it to add shine and gloss to my hair on numerous occasions. Just work it into your hair from the roots to tips, leave on for about 15 minutes, and wash your hair like usual.
Drying: I do a blowout after I wash (usually with some help from my girl Daniele, since it’s so dang long, and because she’s so awesome). She uses a special blow dryer, made by Dyson. It’s so cool – very pretty and light weight, and sounds different than a typical blowdryer – but pricey and more for professional use.
I have an excellent is a T3 blowdryer (you can get it at Costco, Sephora or on Amazon and there’s a mini one that’s powerful enough for everyday use).
Before the blowout I do add a couple things to my hair, including Oribe Gold Lust blowout cream, a little Kevin Murphy Mousse and their incredible-smelling Root Lift. Again, I do this once a week, so this stuff lasts me for months.
Styling Tools: I have 2 styling tools. My flat iron is a 1.5 inch T3 that I got from Sephora. I love it, super versatile and easy to use when I need to touch up the roots or 
even do an all over smooth. I also have an auto-rotating Beachwavers curling iron. I love it for adding that extra volume and bounce to my ends.
Styling During the Blowout: For my blowouts, I usually just blow it out in sections with a round brush, curl the ends, and then pin and set it while I finish the entire head of hair. This gives me a lot of volume when I take it down. Because it’s SO long (it grows insanely fast), Daniele keeps it trimmed and shaped for me regularly.
Color: I do cover my greys – I’ve been getting them since I was in my 20’s – genetics! But we use a super nice color that matches my natural color made by Weleda, and she also adds a little red toner to my ends. I’ve always had a combination of red and dark brown in my hair, so we just enhance that a bit.
#5: Organic Skin Care
As I was mentioning I don’t wear much makeup, and never have. I find that my skin does really well because of eating, hydration and exercise/sweating, so clogging it up with a lot of stuff is actually what can make it act up or break out.
I had actually NOT had a go-to for a long time, and had just been kind of bouncing around trying random stuff until I found Annmarie Skincare and then I just fell in love. I noticed a natural glow and even better texture after using the products, and they’re organic and smell amazing.
I met and became friends with the creator after meeting her at a wellness event, and it turned out she was a fan of ME – having done my 30-Day Challenge, so we totally had a mutual fangirl moment! So I’m definitely stoked to share what I use with you from her product line!
Cleansing: I always always always wash with the Aloe and Herb Cleanser, which I use a wet washcloth to towel off. At night when I cleanse, I blend it with their Ayurvedic Facial Scrub. Always rinse your skin really well after cleansing to remove all traces of the product and any makeup residue. At night I also use the Anti-Aging Serum and the Anti-Aging Eye Cream.
Serum: I go for a serum after cleansing, either the Citrus Stem Cell Serum or the Wild Fruit Serum.
They both smell incredible. I’m pretty simple, so after that dries, I just get on with my final layer, a combination moisturizer and lightly tinted SPF by Bare Minerals. I usually blend a couple shades together to get my perfect skin tone.
Exfoliate and Mask: About once or twice a week, I’ll exfoliate my face with her Kaolin Micro Exfoliant, and follow it up with a Coconut Honey Mask (I could literally eat it lol). I don’t use any of their facial moisturizers as they are all oil based, and I do get lash extensions that break down with oil.
My skin seems really happy with what I’m doing, even without a dedicated moisturizer, and living in San Diego I don’t get dry skin very often. Since we are all in different places and climates, with different genetics and skin needs, use my regimen as inspiration and check out the products – because there are a lot of great ones that I don’t use that might work better for you.
On a budget? A natural skin care option for you if you want to skip purchasing any products is to use coconut oil (once again – it’s amazing) on your skin.
To make a mask, you can blend it with a little honey, which will create a sticky, delicious smelling mask. Leave it on for about 10 minutes, then rinse off with warm water.
To make a natural exfoliant, blend coconut oil and sugar together in a small dish, and use to gently massage into your face to remove dead skin cells and get your skin glowing!
And there you have it! My 5 Steps to Glowing Skin and Shiny Hair...I hope you liked it and got some good inspiration for yourself!
Please write and let me know all about your hair and skin, and what things you notice when you change your diet.
I hear most often from my readers that after they start using meal plans like the Body Fuel System they see a remarkable improvement in their skin, and their hair grows faster.
Along with these fun products that I enjoy, I really can’t speak highly enough of the benefits of healthy, balanced eating, regular exercise, making hydration your DAILY MISSION and sauna use if you have access.