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Oct 21, 20222 min read

Gua Sha: The Wellness Trend Taking Over the Internet by Storm



What Exactly is Gua Sha?

I'm sure you've heard of it by now. It's been all over social media, from TikTok to Twitter, influencers and members of the online beauty community alike have been raving about the facial massage. People claim to reap benefits like facial slimming, and some even going as far as suggesting borderline reconstruction of facial features.

When we break it down to the basics, Gua Sha is an ancient Chinese practice where a small, asymmetrically shaped tool is lightly pressed along the face. Generally these tools are made of jade, or quartz, but really any hard, cooling material works.

But now you're probably wondering, what does it do? As far as science goes, technically nothing. As someone who is aware of this fact, but still uses her gua sha tool almost daily, I'll elaborate on my more personal reasoning.




Realistic Expectations for Gua Sha

Now I am not going to tell you that the little tool you can buy from any retail store with a wellness aisle is going to mold your face however you choose, however I am going to let you know my personal experience.

It's one of my favorite parts of my morning. It isn't uncommon for me to wake up with puffiness around my eyes, especially when I was up a bit too late the night before. The coolness of the tools, as well as the light pressure pulling whatever stagnant liquid in the area away from my face, works wonders for me.

It may be a placebo, but I have found that any light, naturally-occuring swelling in my face and neck can be fixed with some facial oil and a little piece of quartz.





How did it get so Popular?

Like I had previously mentioned, there are a lot of misconceptions about what exactly the practice of Gua Sha is capable of. I've even seen "results" that look more like a rhinoplasty than a facial massage.

I'm not entirely sure why people feel the need to falsify their results, but it sure does work. People love quick, miracle-like fixes. You tell someone that there's a little slice of jade that you can buy for $4.99 that will fix their nose hump and double-chin within three short months, and you expect them to not jump on that? You have high expectations for the generation that received most of their news from the Twitter trending page.


So in short, no, gua sha will not alter your facial features. However, I fully believe that it can indeed "slim" your face by depuffing.

What do you think?

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Oct 7, 20223 min read

Four Tips to Curate and Shorten Your Morning Routine

Updated: Dec 15, 2022

A quick guide on how I learned to get ready in twenty minutes.

Let's face it, getting ready in the morning, before school, work, brunch, etc., can be one of the most rushed parts of our day. I'm a big believer that your morning can set a tone for the rest of your day, and if it's a chaotic process, that can affect your stress levels throughout your day.

I used to wake up two full hours before school to ensure I'd be fully ready on time. My routine consisted of washing and styling my hair, doing a full face of makeup, and sometimes doing my laundry that morning in hopes the piece I wanted to wear would be dry in time for me to walk out of the front door.

Now, as I attend 8:00am university courses, I've admittedly become less dedicated to spending all of that time in the morning. But, at the same time, I was stubborn about maintaining a put-together appearance. These two contradicting concepts led me to build a consistent morning routine that allows me to be fully ready for my day within twenty minutes. Listed below, are my four most important tips that you can incorporate as well.



Capsule Wardrobe Curation

If you retain any information from this post, I truly hope that it is that a capsule wardrobe is a MUST. It is an absolute life saver.

A capsule wardrobe is, in short, a wardrobe of a few high quality basics, that can be used together in seemingly endless outfit combinations.

The reason that this type of dress can be so helpful is that, generally, you'll never have to worry about what you wear. The beauty of a capsule wardrobe lies in its simplicity. When done correctly, almost everything in your closet will work with anything else. No matter the weather, you will always have the right combinations on hand to feel confident in your own clothing.


Skincare > Makeup

I know we have all had those mornings where your concealer cannot seem to sit right. Whether it's creasing, flaking, or not covering my dark circles properly, there are simply "bad makeup days."

The number one solution I have found, is keeping a consistent skincare routine that works for you. Keeping your skin smoother and more even creates a wonderful canvas for makeup to be applied on. And for those bad makeup days? In that case your skincare may keep your complexion nice enough to go bare-face with pride.



Low Maintenance Hairstyling

The bad makeup day's more infamous twin, the bad hair day. Whether your hair dried all funny, or you wake up with a cow-lick, our hair is quite stubborn when it chooses. Our best defence? Preparing the night before.

Now that heat-styling is known for causing damage to your hair, there has been an exponential growth in the amount of heatless styling tactics that are becoming more and more popular. From sock curls, to braids, to overnight-blowout kits, there are many ways to wake up with your hair practically finished.

For the after styling? You can also use loose braids, buns, and silk wrappings to preserve your previously-styled strands for days on end. And if all else fails, I would also suggest perfecting your ponytail technique.


Fragrances for Every Day

As a final touch to my morning routine, I always spritz myself in a wonderful perfume. I appreciate the scents that last all day, and finding easy combinations to enhance my favorite notes.

One of my favorite tactics to really solidify my perfume, is to combine it with a scented lotion that complements it. A rose scented lotion with a floral perfume? Two vanilla-based scents? Perfect for a lasting scent.

As an alternative, for those who may be sensitive to some scented lotions, there is the age-old petroleum jelly trick. Apply a scentless layer on your pulse points, and then apply perfume for a long-lasting, pure scent.



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Sep 21, 20223 min read

Finding Ourselves: A Guide to Incorporating Your Femininity Into A Modern Lifestyle

Updated: Dec 15, 2022

When it comes to defining characteristics of one's personality, being soft and being strong are generally thought of as being opposites. I think that was one of the strangest conclusions that we have come to as a society.

My name is Hayley, in essence, I am a 20 year old woman who just wants to have it all. I want a career, I want to be an involved mother, I want to be a loving wife, and I want to achieve balance in everything that I do.

In my experience, we live in a world where many traits that are considered to be "feminine" are seen to be a threat to the fast paced lifestyle that many American women are currently living. Now is this inherently problematic? No. Do I have a personal problem with that? Most certainly.

I've decided I want to use my extremely feminine presence as a source of strength in every aspect of my life. From my work, to my education, to simply making myself happier. I fully believe that taking care of ourselves, from our daily routines, to our mindsets, will not only increase our contribution to our environment, but increase self-confidence.


Routine

My aunt is one of my biggest inspirations in my life. She is a woman who has traveled the world with her husband, produces her own music, and has taught me so very much on why taking care of oneself should be a top priority.

One of my earliest memories of her, was actually in her bathroom. She was notorious for spending ages getting ready each morning, and as a little girl, this ritualistic morning routine was foreign to me. While visiting her one summer, I watched her apply her makeup and style her hair. I asked her why she felt it necessary to put all of that work in. She chuckled lightly to herself, and told me something which I remember to this very day. She told me that when she invested that time into herself, she felt good, and when she felt good she did good.

As I have grown, I have found this to be true. I have tried so many different things to achieve this little superpower my aunt told me about, and I finally have it down to a science. It makes me feel good. Specifically, I feel confident and composed. I have grown to love my routine, and I believe it is a great way for people to devote a little bit of time to taking care of themselves.


Quality Over Quantity

As an American, I am practically trained to consume. Trends come and go, and come again, and I find myself having wasted unnecessary money on low-quality products.

Being an adult, I have grown to appreciate simplicity in what I own, buying things that I will use, and making things last. The pink polyester-blend mini skirt I bought in 2018? There wasn't anything wrong with it, except that the hems began to fray after three wears, and I didn't bother to replace it since the trend cycle had moved on.

Fast fashion, cheaply made products, overly-processed foods, and ineffective treatments plague our markets. I think it's important to ensure that what we invest money in, are worthwhile. Learning how to make informed and productive purchases takes time, and more research than should be necessary, but I think that creating a space filled with condensed information may be helpful to others who have similar goals.


Protecting Yourself

Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries. The number one thing you can do to improve your lifestyle and self confidence is learning how to advocate for yourself and your interests.

We will interact with people throughout our entire lives. People may even subconsciously (or consciously, but let's give them the benefit of the doubt) try to cross your threshold of comfort. In all interactions, but specifically when your thresholds are being tested, it is important to know how to identify one's boundaries, and communicate them effectively.

This can be a difficult thing for a lot of people, as to keep peace it is easier to accommodate the requests of others. However, when we do accomodate the requests of others, at the cost of our own comfort, we are doing ourselves a disservice.

Boundaries can be pushed by anyone. Romantic partners, friends, and even professional acquaintances. In my opinion, it is essential to learn how to respectfully enforce limitations to enjoy your own peace.

SaintMuse

This is where my blog comes into play. I want to create a space for women to find out where to start. I want to showcase the tactics I use to preserve my feminine nature, while also carving out a space for myself in modern societies. I want to demonstrate that taking care of yourself, inside and out, is not shallow, but a means to empower yourself. I want to learn from other inspiring women how they do the same. Welcome to SAINTMUSE.



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