fave products // fresh beauty black tea age delay serum, eye concentrate & mask

Black tea in your skincare products? Yep, you heard me right! And not for the first time either. Remember this Fresh Beauty Black Tea Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence from a while back? This age-delay, anti-pollution toner is great for fighting pesky environmental stressors that cause your skin to age. I was and still am a big fan to pat some on post-cleansing! Lately I've been trying out some more products from Fresh's black tea line, and am happy to say I'm super pleased with the results! 

Let's start with the Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Firming Serum. It works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, offering an overall corset-like effect on the skin with its lifting and tightening properties. Ingredients like black tea ferment (aka kombucha) and extract, blackberry leaf extract and lychee seed extract fight free radicals that increase signs of aging while also improving your skin's elasticity. I love the combo of a super concentrated blend of peptides along with the antioxidant-rich honeysuckle leaf extract- this baby is no joke! I definitely feel like it helps define and contour the skin with continued use.

The serum pairs wonderfully with the Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate, which is great for any puffiness and dark circles you may have, and is also extremely hydrating for the delicate skin around the eyes. Black tea is obviously at play here as well, along with noni fruit juice, a powerhouse ingredient known to retain and increase moisture and protect the skin. The cooling formula is great for use both morning and night!

Whenever I feel like I need to take it to another level, I reach for my Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask. This leave-on mask provides intense moisture to dehydrated skin, and leaves you with a firm suppleness come morning. In addition to the ferments and extracts featured in most of the black tea products, the mask boasts belle de nuit extract, which is a real game changer when it comes to soothing and rebalancing your skin. Plus, super hydrator hyaluronic acid is present to provide and lock in ample moisture! I love waking up to wonderfully hydrated and plump skin. Now I'm craving a kombucha- thanks Fresh Beauty!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // fleur & bee serum and creams

Y’all know me- I love a good line of natural, non-toxic products that won’t irritate my skin, but are actually effective. Not surprisingly, this has been even more true throughout my pregnancy over the last several months. That’s why I was stoked to find a new, local brand called Fleur & Bee, which specializes in 100% vegan skincare! So far this minimal line includes just the essentials (think serum, face & eye creams, toner), but is made with quality, cruelty-free ingredients, and none of that toxic crap! Plus, it’s all super affordable, so you don’t feel like you have to skimp on it each time you apply. Maybe the best thing about the company, however, is that they donate 1% of sales to help distribute menstrual hygiene products to girls in need. How amazing is that?

By now I’m sure you’ve heard me applaud the many benefits of a vitamin C serum. I recently added their Nectar of the C Rejuvenating Vitamin C Serum to my routine, and I have to say I’ve been pleased with the results. This baby helps soften the appearance of fine lines and leaves me with glowing skin, which just goes to show that natural can still be powerful! It even stands up to serums that cost 2-3x as much! I’ve also been testing out Fleur & Bee’s creams, and they’ve been equally as impressive. The Crème de la Cream Moisturizing Face Cream is gentle and lightweight, but packed with potent botanicals and vitamins like Q10, vitamin C, vitamin E, aloe vera and pomegranate to keep your skin sufficiently hydrated. Plentiful antioxidants help fight wrinkles and even skin tone as well! The Eyes Eyes Baby Anti-Aging Eye Cream helps combat tired, puffy eyes and dark circles thanks to ingredients like vitamin E, squalane, caffeine, and green tea! It definitely helps me to awaken looking more well-rested in the morning (even if that’s not necessarily the case lately thanks to the wonder that is pregnancy). So smooth and hydrating! I definitely recommend checking out Fleur & Bee if you’re on the hunt for some new non-toxic, cruelty-free skincare that won’t break the bank!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

get fit with britt // pregnancy seat

Welcome back to Get Fit with Britt! I'm going to be posting some demos of my fave exercises taught at my new local barre studio, Bar Method Silver Lake, with the help of their awesome instructors. The Bar Method is a fast, effective, and most importantly, safe way to change your body, and follows a technique that's high-intensity, but low impact to protect your joints! Thanks to barre classes, I have been able to build long, lean (not bulky!) muscles while tapering everything in & lifting it up! For this series, we will pick a particular move, explain the focus area and correct form, then demonstrate it so you can practice at home! That way, if/when you come to the studio yourself, you'll be rocking the moves & way ahead of the game ;) These exercises are also a great way to get fit on-the-go! I find myself regularly using barre exercises during my hotel room workouts. Additionally, you can get the outfit I'm wearing at the Bar Method Silver Lake studio, so definitely go by if you're looking for some fun, new workout gear! Come & join me, get that healthy & strong body you've always wanted- come Get Fit with Britt!

Today's exercise focuses on the glutes, both the side of your seat (gluteus medius) and back of your seat (gluteus maximus). First, for your outer seat, we will do a modification of arabesque. By staying in a more diagonal position while pregnant, you’re able to keep the pressure out of you’re lower back, yet still target your tush with slow, targeted movements of the leg. Keep your hip turned out slightly to keep the focus of the work in your gluteus medius. For the back of your seat and hamstring, we will do a modification of foldover. Once again, we still stay in a more diagonal position to keep any extra strain out of the back. The small, subtle movements really target your seat, helping to lift and tone throughout, and adding nice definition to your glutes! Don’t forget to keep your hips tucked under! For both diagonal in a turned out position (modification for arabesque) and diagonal in a parallel position (modification for foldover), do about 40-60 lifts, or approximately 2.5 minutes on each side.

PS- Here’s a link to the Bar Method blog for some extra prenatal barre tips!

*I am not a trainer or health professional, so please consult one if you feel you're doing something wrong or could potentially injure yourself.

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // charlotte tilbury magic cream

As a model in the fashion industry, I’ve gotten the opportunity to work with some amazing makeup artists over the last several years. Charlotte Tilbury is one of the greats- from backstage at shows to on set at editorial shoots, her passion and skill really shine through. I was so excited when she came out with her own line of products, many of which she had been developing for years! Us models were lucky enough to get a sneak peek at some of those products during fashion week. Charlotte’s Magic Cream was one of of her biggest hits, and I just couldn’t wait to get my hands on a jar once it was officially released. Just look how fluffy and cloud-like it is! This baby is loaded with patented hydrating and youth-boosting ingredients that magically transform the look of tired, dull skin. In-demand hyaluronic acid provides ample moisture, while rosehip oil, camelia oil & vitamin E promote youthful, glowing skin. Fine lines and wrinkles don’t stand a chance thanks to the fancy-sounding BioNymph Peptide Complex, which supports natural collagen production and cell energy while fighting those pesky free radicals. I love to slather on a thick layer post cleanser and serum- it’s so soft and supple! Even better is that it’s free of harsh, irritating ingredients like sodium laureth sulfate and parabens, making it great for those with sensitive skin. If you’re in the market for a high quality dream cream, I highly recommend checking out the Magic Cream stat.

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // paula's choice skincare boosters

 
 

Allow me to let you in on a recent skincare trend I’ve been loving. Skincare boosters! Boosters have been gaining popularity lately, and for good reason. Simply put, they’re high-powered formulas of concentrated ingredients that amplify improvements in your skin, so you get the results you want, only quicker! Paula’s Choice has created eight powerhouse boosters, each targeting a specific skincare concern, that can be used alone or combined with your favorite serum or moisturizer to give it that extra potency. I like that Paula’s Choice chooses to use only ingredients backed by research for the exact concerns each booster is designed to address. That way you know you’re getting a truly effective product! I’ve been trying out a few of the boosters recently, and can honestly say I’m impressed. Their lightweight textures make them ideal to layer with my other products, and be on my way!

Starting with a tried and true favorite, the Hyaluronic Acid Booster targets parched skin, fine lines, and lack of suppleness with ease, leaving you with soft, plump skin. If you struggle with red or brown marks, dull skin, or fine lines, the C15 Super Booster could be for you! The 15% ascorbic acid is combined with vitamin E & ferulic acid (like cult-fave SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic) to give you an all-over translucent glow. Vitamin B3 is having a bit of a moment lately, thanks to its ability to help visibly reduce the appearance of large pores and uneven skin tone. The 10% Niacinamide Booster is combined with additional antioxidants to deliver key anti-aging benefits. Winning! For those with blemish-prone skin, the 10% Azelaic Acid Booster is where it’s at. It’s been such a great alternative to the typical salicylic acid products- I really notice a difference! I’m also looking forward to trying out the 1% Retinol Booster post-pregnancy, as this multi-tasker fights advanced signs of aging as well as pesky blemishes! Next on my list is the C25 Super Booster (great for spot treating stubborn discoloration) and the Peptide Booster (with a hydrating amino acid complex). Which are you most curious to try?

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

get fit with britt // pregnancy abs

Welcome back to Get Fit with Britt! I'm going to be posting some demos of my fave exercises taught at my new local barre studio, Bar Method Silver Lake, with the help of their awesome instructors. The Bar Method is a fast, effective, and most importantly, safe way to change your body, and follows a technique that's high-intensity, but low impact to protect your joints! Thanks to barre classes, I have been able to build long, lean (not bulky!) muscles while tapering everything in & lifting it up! For this series, we will pick a particular move, explain the focus area and correct form, then demonstrate it so you can practice at home! That way, if/when you come to the studio yourself, you'll be rocking the moves & way ahead of the game ;) These exercises are also a great way to get fit on-the-go! I find myself regularly using barre exercises during my hotel room workouts. Additionally, you can get the outfit I'm wearing at the Bar Method Silver Lake studio, so definitely go by if you're looking for some fun, new workout gear! Come & join me, get that healthy & strong body you've always wanted- come Get Fit with Britt!

Today's exercise focuses on abs, specifically that abdominal exercises that are pregnancy safe! It’s important to keep a strong core during pregnancy, as this can help in labor and delivery, as well as quicken your recovery time. However, some positions aren’t safe for you or baby as your bump grows. This is a modification for low curl with your feet down. By adding 3-4 risers (or use something like this, or even a few pillows) for extra support, you’re really able to take the pressure off of your lower back. Be sure to keep your abs pulled in (navel to spine!) and hips tucked under, and most importantly- don’t forget to breathe! Even if you don’t take the challenge options (arms forward and curling forward), as long as you’re breathing, this exercise is super effective. Deep breaths help me keep focused, and allow me to really target my deep core! Do three sets of twenty exhales either holding on, extending your arms forward, or adding a small curl to match your breath.

PS- Here’s a link to the Bar Method blog for some extra prenatal barre tips!

*I am not a trainer or health professional, so please consult one if you feel you're doing something wrong or could potentially injure yourself.

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support!