#Skincare Say goodbye to stress, and say hello to great skin!

My friend, Gbemi, tweeted something the other day which got me smiling.

Just look at God! Let go of a stressful situation & my skin is glowing ✨✨ . Nothing like peace of mind y'all .

— Gbemi O-O (@GbemiOO) June 9, 2017

It got me smiling because we often times do not realise how much the emotional affects the physical. We have always been told, don't frown or when the wind blows your face will stay like that, or laugh your troubles away and while not everything can be solved by laughing, our skin does benefit from our being happy.

While we cannot control every single change we go through based on environment and getting older, we can practise certain things that will help.

For one, worry less, pray more.
Studies show that people who worry a lot show it... on their faces.
Look, if it is worth worrying about, it is worth praying about and the latter won't age you!

Also, smile and be happy.
Once again, your skin shows signs of anger, hate, bitterness, and unhappiness.

We tend to think (wrongly) that what goes on in our mind stays there but alas, it does show.
So if you can do just one thing for your skin, make it this- be happy!

SkincareSaturday: Get ready with me (My morning routine)

Hello,

Watch this video to see me take you through my morning skincare routine.
Remember, i had spoken earlier about why and how to get your skincare popping and you can check that out here.

In this video, i take you through my morning skincare routine, explaining the difference between when i have time (like weekends) and when i don't have time, and my stages.

It was fun doing this live via facebook, instagram, and snapchat stories... so do follow me to see more of my behind the scenes stuff.

#TipThursday TheNicoleCode's Tips on Beauty on a Budget

Nicole Chikwe was our Expert on today's #TipThursday and she gave ten great tips on how to look great on a budget.

From skincare to make up to style, we can spend so much and sometimes it is cool to just spend a little less. So here are beautypreneur, model and blogger www.thenicolecode.com 's top ten ways to do this!

- Add BAKING SODA to your regular cleanser to make it more exfoliating. That way, you won't need to spend money on an extra scrub. You should ideally exfoliate twice a week to get rid of dead skincells and to leave your complexion glowing. Baking soda is also great for teeth whitening.

- If you run out of shaving cream, HAIR CONDITIONER is a great substitute! It gives you a nice smooth shave.

- HONEY is perfect for healing acne-prone or dry skin. Just spread on clean skin and let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
Honey is a powerful antioxidant and also has antibacterial properties, making it good for breakouts. 

Honey is also a humectant which means it draws and retains water so it is also great as a hair conditioner. Just apply one teaspoon into damp hair and rinse with warm water

- Can’t afford to get a manicure? SOAK your nails in hot water, then use a warm wash cloth to push cuticles back

- LEMON is an excellent skin brightener and can be used to fade hyperpigmentation and acne scarring without breaking the bank. Half a teaspoon with a tablespoon of honey as a mask, or dilute half a teaspoon in some water, leave on skin for 15 mins and rinse off. Doing this consistently will leave your complexion glowing and even

- Make your MAKEUP versatile.
For examples, use your neutral eyeshadow as a highlighter, or mix your pink eyeshadow with some Vaseline to create a longlasting lip Stain/gloss.

Lipstick can also be used as a blusher if you run out.

- Buy Coconut or olive OIL.
It can be used in your hair, on your skin and on your lips and as an eye makeup remover. These oils are very versatile and should be a staple in every woman's cabinet.

- NAPKINS or toilet roll are a good substitute for blotting paper, so when you start getting a bit oily during the day, pop down to the bathroom, get some toilet roll, open it up and it soaks up all the excess oil leaving your makeup intact

- Drink at least two litres of WATER a day
Staying properly hydrated everyday is relatively inexpensive and Does more than a lot of beauty products. It helps with acne, with bloating, flushing out toxins and it keeps your skin wrinkle free

And finally, the cheapest AND best thing you can do for your body is to

- Get more SLEEP.
Beauty sleep is not a myth. Getting at least 8 hours of sleep a day helps you get fewer wrinkles, a glowing complexion, brighter and less puffy eyes and helps your products work better as your skin has more time to heal and repair itself.

(Follow @TheNicoleCode on twitter, snapchat and instagram for more beauty tips. Check out www.thenicolecode.com)