How This Witch Takes Care Of Herself, #Q2020 Edition
Hi friendship!
Good to see you again!
After my last post, I thought it might be fun to share things I've discovered in quarantine, and elaborate a little more on a few of the topics I'd mentioned. Some are tangible things, other are just little gifts of magic I've found to share. Maybe there's something in here that will help someone during this time.
I'm going to address these in no particular order; I've made a list for myself, and I'm following that.
Now, without further ado, here is my list of treasures 'discovered' during quarantine.
Skin! Ahhh...our largest organ; no matter what that creep on Snapchat says about his dick.
I was introduced to The Ordinary a very short time before the quarantine started. I was immediately drawn to it's simple labels/packaging, it's direct marketing, and it's remarkably low price point. I ordered their "Daily Set", and a bottle of their Niacinimide and Zinc serum. It all came to a total of around $36 cad, after shipping and taxes. Yeah, you read that right. Seriously high quality products for like, no money. Eat it, Sephora.
I started using these products, and they felt great. Better still, I had zero reaction to them, which is a Luciferian miracle, when it comes to my skin. I break out if I breathe funny. In fact, the skin that wasn't dealing with active pimples looked really good. I was dewy. Glowy. It was wild!
I decided that I MUST HAVE MOAR!
And so, a few weeks into hermiting, I found that well.ca also sells The Ordinary. I was looking for hair serums (more on that later), and I stumbled onto this. I ordered a peptide hair serum (linked later in post), Lactic Acid for chemical exfoliation, and Caffeine + EGCG for my baggy eyes.
I've been using these semi-religiously (once a day, for sure), in an AM/PM regimen (I use the lactic acid at nigh...it tingles so good). My skin (apart from a RAGING hormonal period-related breakout), is feeling great. It's even less itchy, and my allergies are on fire right now! At this point, I am all for The Ordinary.
I was also advised to look into sulfur ointment. I only received this today, so I can't speak to it yet, but I'm definitely excited to see how it works as a spot treatment. Just in case, I got two jars - so that I'm stocked for a while. We are a pimply household!
In pursuit of appeasing my cellulite, I am also the proud owner of a dry brush. This is something I'll be reading about and learning how to do...so I'll keep you all posted as I experiment. If I end up with any form of smoothing...there will be no end of butt selfies. You've been warned.
At some point, I am expecting a derma roller will also arrive...but some deliveries take more time.
Nails! Mine are non existent...and my beautiful gels have retired. To band aid them, I have started playing with press-on nails. Yeah, those. The game has completely changed since I was young and gave them a try. They have some fair longevity too...although my first set has been sacrificed to the water and chicken washing gods, as I made dinner tonight. That's okay, though! In another week or so, I should be greeted with these, and these, so I'm not too worried about my stubby nubs. I've given up on nail polish...it lasts less than 24 hours on me, anyway.
Hair! The hot trend right now is quarantine haircuts. The interwebz told me so. Because I am such a trendsetter <insert eyeroll here>, I thought I'd give it a try. Using Jenna Marbles as my beauty guru, I gave the ponytail method a try. It was successful in that I didn't destroy my hair...though I did take about two inches off the longest length. It felt good. I cut my hair once a year, and I'm glad I got it over with!
Nutrition! What the hell do I know about this? Virtually nothing. Am I gonna talk about it? Hell yes!
Throughout the last 6 weeks, my perspective on diet has gone from "less activity, fewer calories" to "who the fuck cares about calories, there's a global crisis happening" to "FUCKING HELL! 10 POUNDS? WHEN DID I GAIN 10 POUNDS?" to "I will work out 3-5 times a week. I will eat in a balanced way, and stick as closely to 1800 calories/day as possible". The last two weeks have proven much easier in terms of calorie tracking. Easier than it's been in over a year. Why? I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I've crawled out of the depressive hole that I was sinking into going into this quarantine, and spent the first 4 weeks of #Q2020 fighting out of. Being on top of my mental health makes about a bazillion % difference in how I function. I'm riding the "not depressed" merry-go-round as long as I can. I haven't weighed myself in 2 weeks...so I suppose I should see if my efforts are starting to trend in a successful direction. I eat a lot of protein. I am accepting that yeasty foods, like bread, do not help me...I become a human tuba. Now, someone might think it's silly that a 38 year old person might be developing a complex about how much they pass gas...but, well, here I am. So, no bread, and I fart like, thrice daily - even on my period. I'll take that.
I take a multivitamin and biotin every day. Mostly because they're tasty gummies, and I'm spoiled now. Partly because they're "good for my health", and that's important. For all the acne and gas we have here, our household is pretty strong, immune health wise.
Fatness Fitness! I miss the gym. I have been patiently waiting for two (2) at home resistance band systems, that I ordered the first weekend we were sent to work from home. I am making do with what I have, which isn't much.
A dear friend of mine gave me a copy of the Bikini Body Guide. I believe the creator is Kayla Itsines. She's tall, incredibly willowy, and not at all the kind of image I borrow my fitness info from, but I gotta say, for a 12 week program, I'm not unimpressed (says me, after week 1). I am alternating one day of a bodyweight circuit (which is timed, and hurts), with a day of walking for 30-45 minutes. I can handle this. The workouts are about 30 minutes (including a stretch at the end), and I have no excuse not to make time for that. I'm going to have to move a day around though, since Mondays are now for collab workouts on Zoom with my StepUpCan peeps Follow me here for details on upcoming workouts! Every Monday, 6 pm Winnipeg time. As a fun little treat, ordering fitness gear from www.stepupcan.ca is 15% off with my coupon code - Sarah15. Use it. I promise you'll love the clothes. I live in my leggings...and I may be unnaturally attached to my Moon Hoodie. No apologies, no regrets.
Self Care! I'm not sure where to start on this specifically, since everything I've discussed above plays a pretty significant role in my personal self care. I guess there are a few things that I haven't covered, though.
Did you know that you can do your own boudoir shoot at home? With your phone? And all you need is a bright window? And maybe some pretty underthings? And to pop your booty? Well, you can. And I do, like once a week. And Daddy appreciates the surprise texts. Embracing your form takes a lot of practice, and I have developed an affinity for fishnets. And pasties. Gonna sell all the BDSM photography.
Ohhhh, do I ever burn candles. With the increase in my energy, my spellwork is on fire. My tarot cards are yelling to be played with, and I am one with Lucy and Lily. I've worked with them both recently, and it's good. It's effective. It's comforting.
I feel really connected to my power right now, and it's better than any intoxication. I can work light or dark. Each has its place and purpose.
And on that note, I come to the end of my list.
It's been a blast! See you on the next one.
Hail yourselves; we are all true living gods.
S
I was also advised to look into sulfur ointment. I only received this today, so I can't speak to it yet, but I'm definitely excited to see how it works as a spot treatment. Just in case, I got two jars - so that I'm stocked for a while. We are a pimply household!
In pursuit of appeasing my cellulite, I am also the proud owner of a dry brush. This is something I'll be reading about and learning how to do...so I'll keep you all posted as I experiment. If I end up with any form of smoothing...there will be no end of butt selfies. You've been warned.
At some point, I am expecting a derma roller will also arrive...but some deliveries take more time.
Nails! Mine are non existent...and my beautiful gels have retired. To band aid them, I have started playing with press-on nails. Yeah, those. The game has completely changed since I was young and gave them a try. They have some fair longevity too...although my first set has been sacrificed to the water and chicken washing gods, as I made dinner tonight. That's okay, though! In another week or so, I should be greeted with these, and these, so I'm not too worried about my stubby nubs. I've given up on nail polish...it lasts less than 24 hours on me, anyway.
Hair! The hot trend right now is quarantine haircuts. The interwebz told me so. Because I am such a trendsetter <insert eyeroll here>, I thought I'd give it a try. Using Jenna Marbles as my beauty guru, I gave the ponytail method a try. It was successful in that I didn't destroy my hair...though I did take about two inches off the longest length. It felt good. I cut my hair once a year, and I'm glad I got it over with!
Nutrition! What the hell do I know about this? Virtually nothing. Am I gonna talk about it? Hell yes!
Throughout the last 6 weeks, my perspective on diet has gone from "less activity, fewer calories" to "who the fuck cares about calories, there's a global crisis happening" to "FUCKING HELL! 10 POUNDS? WHEN DID I GAIN 10 POUNDS?" to "I will work out 3-5 times a week. I will eat in a balanced way, and stick as closely to 1800 calories/day as possible". The last two weeks have proven much easier in terms of calorie tracking. Easier than it's been in over a year. Why? I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I've crawled out of the depressive hole that I was sinking into going into this quarantine, and spent the first 4 weeks of #Q2020 fighting out of. Being on top of my mental health makes about a bazillion % difference in how I function. I'm riding the "not depressed" merry-go-round as long as I can. I haven't weighed myself in 2 weeks...so I suppose I should see if my efforts are starting to trend in a successful direction. I eat a lot of protein. I am accepting that yeasty foods, like bread, do not help me...I become a human tuba. Now, someone might think it's silly that a 38 year old person might be developing a complex about how much they pass gas...but, well, here I am. So, no bread, and I fart like, thrice daily - even on my period. I'll take that.
I take a multivitamin and biotin every day. Mostly because they're tasty gummies, and I'm spoiled now. Partly because they're "good for my health", and that's important. For all the acne and gas we have here, our household is pretty strong, immune health wise.
A dear friend of mine gave me a copy of the Bikini Body Guide. I believe the creator is Kayla Itsines. She's tall, incredibly willowy, and not at all the kind of image I borrow my fitness info from, but I gotta say, for a 12 week program, I'm not unimpressed (says me, after week 1). I am alternating one day of a bodyweight circuit (which is timed, and hurts), with a day of walking for 30-45 minutes. I can handle this. The workouts are about 30 minutes (including a stretch at the end), and I have no excuse not to make time for that. I'm going to have to move a day around though, since Mondays are now for collab workouts on Zoom with my StepUpCan peeps Follow me here for details on upcoming workouts! Every Monday, 6 pm Winnipeg time. As a fun little treat, ordering fitness gear from www.stepupcan.ca is 15% off with my coupon code - Sarah15. Use it. I promise you'll love the clothes. I live in my leggings...and I may be unnaturally attached to my Moon Hoodie. No apologies, no regrets.
Self Care! I'm not sure where to start on this specifically, since everything I've discussed above plays a pretty significant role in my personal self care. I guess there are a few things that I haven't covered, though.
Did you know that you can do your own boudoir shoot at home? With your phone? And all you need is a bright window? And maybe some pretty underthings? And to pop your booty? Well, you can. And I do, like once a week. And Daddy appreciates the surprise texts. Embracing your form takes a lot of practice, and I have developed an affinity for fishnets. And pasties. Gonna sell all the BDSM photography.
Ohhhh, do I ever burn candles. With the increase in my energy, my spellwork is on fire. My tarot cards are yelling to be played with, and I am one with Lucy and Lily. I've worked with them both recently, and it's good. It's effective. It's comforting.
I feel really connected to my power right now, and it's better than any intoxication. I can work light or dark. Each has its place and purpose.
And on that note, I come to the end of my list.
It's been a blast! See you on the next one.
Hail yourselves; we are all true living gods.
S
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