natjtan Happy Monday!
I can’t believe January’s nearly in double digits already. Maybe January this year won’t feel like the long month it usually is. Already the days are getting noticeably longer even if the temps are dipping to single and minus digits around here at night.
Anyways, continuing from Part 1 of my books 2016 list and working down the pile of books, part 2.
Part 1 can be found here.
The Ultimate Guide To The Face Yoga Method. Fumiko Takatsu
WFT?! Face yoga?! Yes, face yoga! While technically this is a 2015 purchase, it’s one that perhaps had the most effect. Back in 2015 a then client too a photo of a me doing a TRX single arm row and all I could see was the start of a chooky neck. Google lead me to the Face Yoga Method and before you start scoffing face yoga! Who has time for that! Hear me out. I workout the rest of my body, why not my face. Roughly all the face yoga routines takes about 15-20 minutes combined and you can easily spend that time on social media. After car accident left Fumiko Takatsu’s body posture out of alignment, her face became asymmetrical and started to look dull and aged. She tried numerous products and face treatments but nothing was hiding the ageing. During rehab for the car accident she began creating facial exercises, people noticed as her body got more aligned so her face more symmetrical and her new career was born. I know nothing will stop ageing and wrinkles but there’s nothing wrong with a little preventive care. I haven’t been kind to my skin with attacking cystic acne and have huge scars to show. I haven’t shown any before or 3 month ups dates mainly due to the scars, still dealing with those spots and I that I’ve lost weight in my face that only emphasises smile lines when I smile. If you don’t have much fat on your face, it shows around the eyes!
That said…. As I want to tone and tighten my whole face; eyes, neck, puppet lines or those nasolabial fold lines, reduce frown lines I do all her circuits as per in the book for those areas: neck, forehead, eyes and lips with a few more in the book but not in the workouts. All up they take about 15-20 minutes. I don’t hold them for say 5 seconds, more to the count of 5 as slower count as I can (which can be 3 seconds!). Just like regular working out you do them in sets and reps. Obviously once you know the routine you don’t have to refer back to the book and the workout becomes quicker. I aim for 4-5 days a week, the other 2-3 I use a facial roller.
The important bit: does it work? I think yes. My nasolabial fold lines aren’t as prominent and neither are my frown lines between my eyes. Forehead wrinkles are less defined. Eye winkles you’re always going to get. Though I’ve lost a lot of fat from under my eyes last year and therefore around my eyes, the eye exercises are helping keeping the not so fine lines from being more defined. If I smile, well crows feet heaven! And if could I stop sleeping on my right side that eye wouldn’t be so squished (those night naps!). The exercise for de puffing under eye bags works and as for the chooky neck, it’s getting better. My skin always feels better, brighter, tighter afterwards. It’s also helped me be aware of my posture and how my shoulders take all my ‘stress’. Not mentioned in the book, it’s also made me aware drinking coffee through straws to prevent discoloured teeth has a similar drag action to inhaling cigarettes causing smokers lines around the mouth (there’s an exercise to reduce them in the book!). Also how laptops, phones, iPads etc lead to bad posture of the back and caused neck wrinkles. Call me vain, prevention is better than cure.
I’ve been following Kathryn Budig on Yogaglo (love her classes) and on Instagram for sometime and when she released Aim True I followed the hype. I’ll admit I didn’t finish this one. Inspired by Artemis, the Greek hunter she guides you through how to aim true via yoga, changing thought patterns (there’s a theme with most of my 2016 books) and mediation. It’s packed with recipes and yoga sequences. I’ve done a few of her moon rituals and am keen to try a few essential oil recipes for headaches etc however I took what I needed from 10 Mindful Minutes with regards to changing the way you think.
Pretty Happy, Healthy Ways To Love Your Body. Kate Hudson
This is another I haven’t read all the way through. I think with both I got distracted by another book and haven’t returned to pick the book up. Like her Mum, Goldie Hawn, I’ve been a fan of Kate Hudson ever since Almost Famous. She always seems full of energy, positiveness, vibrancy and like Tone It Up, if she’s willing to share her secrets, I’m in! She follows her 4 pillars of health: 1 Cultivate an intuitive relationship with your body, 2 Eat well, 3 Awaken your body, 4 The miracle of Mindfulness all combing an Ayurveda lifestyle. I’ve done a few of the quizzes, but find I pick it up and read random pages as opposed to reading it straight through and take away what I needed then. She relates and applies the pillars to her own life, how she deals with set backs, not to take herself too seriously while keeping it real life. It’s a good accompanying book to her mum Goldie Hawn’s book 10 Mindfull Minutes on how to achieve a sense of balance and apply it to everyday life. There’s an emphasis on nobody’s perfect, you do what you can to be more mindful and pretty happy.
I just caught Ab Fab in my teens and loved Joanna Lumely playing Pasty. I was always why is she so nasty? But I love her hair! I’ll admit I didn’t quite get the idea of Ab Fab until I was older and I was always a Sex and The City girl anyway. I remember more Joanna Lumely in Girl Friday when she was left to fend for herself on a desert island (with a film crew!) and being capitavted. She spoke incredible posh, yet was so funny and kind! So when the Ab Fab movie came out last year (I’ve still to see it) and after watching one to many promotional YouTube videos for the movie, I found out she’s also a writer and was kind enough to share her top writing tips. An Amazon search later and finding out she’s been a vegetarian for years I ordered her autobiography (and not just because she’s a vegetarian), Absolutely and have been spellbound working my way through it. Thanks to her being a hoarder and keeping nearly every single photo makes a fun read. From growing up in Kashmir, India, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and the UK she shares her school and modelling days to pursuing acting to of course Ab Fab. I only got this in early December and have a few more chapters to go, but I’m loving reading it so far.
Face. Make up, Skin Care, Beauty. Sam and Nic Chapman
I’ve been following sisters Sam and Nic Chapman of Pixiwoo, on their YouTube makeup tutorial channel for sometime and have picked up a lot of tips and tricks from them. Both seriously amazing talented make up artists and as I don’t watch much British TV or YouTubers, they aside from one other British YouTuber help me stay in touch with the UK (and my accent in check!). I mostly watch in awe. I’ve only recently purchased this book and what I’ve read so far I know I’m going to enjoy reading the rest of it and having it as a makeup know how guide. It’s packed with tips, advice that everyone who loves make up will love reading. I have only issue, they recommend using face scrubs with synthetic beads in. These wreck havoc on the environmental water system as they don’t biodegrade down. They’re not ones for heavy contoured looks as they prefer make up is a better version of yourself and guide you through what products, colours work best for eye shape, skin tone, skin type. That said, they do some amazing editorial and party tutorials and looks on their YouTube channel if you really want to go to town. There’s also an app you can access after purchasing the book with exclusive content that I’ve yet to do.
What books captivated you last year? Did you notice a theme with them? Mine appears to being more positive and skin care.
[…] Part 2 can be found here! […]
Great reading list! I want to read more myself.
I remember as a child my mom and aunt doing their face tightening rituals. I 100% agree with you, Nat. We can’t stop ageing skin, but why not try some preventative measures to look and feel your best?
🙂 I need your Mum and Aunt’s secrets!
With the internet and it all on my phone I find it hard to read. I have to make a effort to say no to the phone and pick up a book. But then I get distracted by my phone or want to look something up the was in the book. Hopeless!