H&M Face Mask Review.

Hi Everyone, 

So today's is all about face mask review. Nothing new right here, if you are an avid reader on my blog you would totally understand my love for face mask (both homemade or store bought). 

A little background on how I found this amazing face mask that I totally swear by at this point in my life. In December I was in Europe for christmas and I had some trouble with my skin due to cold weather that dried my skin out majorly. As a person with very oily skin on a daily basis, this was truly my worst nightmare. Breaking out my staple products, they did not help my skin as much as I hoped it would. In the midst of my not-so-panic attack, I stumbled upon H&M face mask. Out of curiosity, I decided to give it a go! I bought the clay mask and coconut water mask. 

To my surprise, they helped my skin dramatically! 

My skin cleared up drastically the next day and it was hydrated throughout my trip (I did use it on alternative days). 

Today I thought I would review my favorite face mask among all the ones that I currently own; Coconut Water Mask (with Shea and cocoa butter). 

With only 10ML, this is a great product that you can easily bring on the plane especially if you are flying for more than 8 hours. Recycled air can dry our skin out. 

I began to open the container and it is a lumpy white colour somewhat like harden coconut oil. 

I began to apply this all over my face. I applied it for 10 minutes as recommended on the packaging, and whilst it was on my face it began to have the cooling effect. 

If you are new to these face mask, it is natural to have a cooling effect to most hydrating mask. 

I rinsed it off and to my surprise, it hydrated my skin like no other! My skin was soft and smooth to the touch. 

This product cost me $2.95, it can be used for 4 times (depending on the size of your face). I highly recommend this product to all my readers! 

I hope this helps you x 

Snapchat- @nichollezoe (I post up recipes here as well!) 

Facebook: Nicholle Zoe Hon 

Twitter: @nichollezoe 

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Till next time! 

Nicholle. 

How to control your cravings.

It's true that we all crave for a certain type of food particularly the ones that causes your sugar level to spike up. But here a few tips and tricks I found helpful and I would like to share them with you! 

What is causing it? 

At 2-3pm, this is when your sugar level tend to spike up regardless of how much food you had prior. Usually at this hour, you tend to crave for food that are particularly sweet such as Ice Cream, cookies, cake or even soft drinks. It's normal to have such cravings but finding what is the cause of it will help you solve that problem. 

Here are 4 tips to control that evil craving that you have! 

Eat more fruits: 

The consumption of fruits in the afternoon (2-3pm) is a good way to control your food cravings. Fruits that are naturally high in sugar content such as mangoes, apples or even watermelon can assist in those sugar cravings. But don't get confused with artificial sugar and natural sugar, your body needs natural sugar in order to function, so don't skip out on your fruits! 

Exercise: 

Another useful tip is to exercise during this period of time when your cravings are kicking in. Some useful exercises such as light jog or even weights can help with your cravings. Exercises releases endorphins which can help with your mood and suppress these cravings.

Learn to say NO!: 

It is important to teach yourself to say NO! Majority of the time, we give in to our cravings because we believe that it is what the body needs, but this is incorrect. Teaching yourself to say NO will help control these cravings. Find alternatives such as reading a book or finishing up your chores during this period of time. Sugar level tend to decrease after 3:30pm. 

Portion control: 

If you are feeling sluggish or lethargic, that can sometimes mean that your body is lacking in sugar as well. It is okay to give in to your craving every once in awhile provided that it has been portion controlled. If one scoop of ice cream will satisfy that craving you have, then go for it!

I hope these tips are useful and helpful for you to combat your cravings! It is okay to give in once in awhile as long as majority of the time you are taking care of yourself! 

New recipe will be up sometime this week! Don't forget to follow me on all my social media to keep updated! 

Snapchat- @nichollezoe (I post up recipes here as well!) 

Facebook: Nicholle Zoe Hon 

Twitter: @nichollezoe 

Instagram: @Zzoeyla 

Till next time! 

Nicholle. 

Tips on saving money.

University is the time when freedom arrives, whether its food or even on shopping. Many students would not be able to resist the temptation of having macca's or even other fast food chains, and junk food when they are in universities. 

here are a few tips to help you save your money but allowing you to eat healthy as well. 

1) Spend more money on farmers market. 

Farmers market are the best way, if you are trying to save money. When consumers buy in bulk, most farmers are willing to sell to you for a cheaper price - in comparison to one broccoli in the supermarket which costs around $6 per kg, however in farmers market it would only cost $1.50- $3 ea (depending on the season) . This will help you save a lot of money compared to supermarkets and the produce are fresher as it is harvested on the day of sale. 

2) Ignore the junk food aisle. 

Ignoring the junk food aisle can be rather difficult. To slowly cut out junk food, limit your budget of $2 a week to spend on junk food -  In Australia, that would only get you a bar of chocolate (if they are on sale). 

3) Pre packed lunch. 

Pre pack your lunch meals (more to come on the next few blog post), this way when you are having long days in uni, you would be able to have your own lunch. Some good lunch ideas are salads with herb crusted chicken and roasted tomatoes (more recipes coming soon!). 

Avoid going to the cafeteria if you have bad habits of resisting temptation. Pre packed lunches are going to be your money saver. 

4) Sign up for the loyalty cards at your local supermarket. 

Although farmer markets are going to save you tons of money, you would still need to spend money on foods at the supermarket. Signing up to be a member will help you save money, as most supermarket does point reward system or discount on items. 

5) Grow your own vegetables and herbs. 

If you are like me then you would know herbs are a life saver when it comes to flavor, I love chives and basil. They are my absolute go to herb when needed for most recipes. Growing your own would not only save you money from purchasing them but you would get fresh herbs every time you are in need of them. They are only usually a range between $2-$4 a pot! Pluck them and they will grow right out in the weeks to come! They are relatively easy to grow and handle. 

6) Buying superfood's 

I purchase super foods - eg chia seeds, spirulina, raw cacao, coconut oil and so on from my local super food store. If super foods are an essential in your dietary requirement - for example if you were vegan and you need the extra protein. This can be quite costly - however some of the easiest way to have these super foods without costing a bomb is by buying in bulk. 

Most company would be able to give a discount when you buy in bulk, but as well as give you their membership card, that entitles you to 10% off (in most shops in Australia). 

As much as I enjoyed writing this article, I hope you have too! These are my tips and tricks to having a healthy lifestyle yet maintaining those cash in your pocket! 

Thank you for reading, and Ill see you next time for my recipe

*Dont forget to follow my social medias*
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Benefits of consuming MANGOES!

There are many different health benefits in consuming mangoes! Mangoes are popular during the summer where mangoes are in high demands. I do suggest on stocking up on mangoes when summer arrives, but though it provides health benefits, consumption of mangoes should be in moderation. 

Some of the health benefits include:

1) Age – Related Macular Degeneration

2) Cancer

3) Asthma Prevention

4) Bone Health

5) Skin and Hair

6) Heart Disease

7) Digestion

1) Age- Related macular degeneration

An antioxidant is present in mangoes that filter out harmful blue light rays where it plays a vital role to the eyes therefore are able to ward off damage from macular degeneration. This antioxidant is called zeaxanthin.

2) Cancer

Mangoes are high in Beta Carotene, which plays a protective role against prostate cancer.

3) Asthma Prevention

To those who suffer from asthma, mangoes will benefit you greatly. The risk for developing asthma are lower in people who consume a high amount of certain nutrients which are beta carotene that are mostly found in papaya, apricots, broccoli, pumpkin, carrots and the list goes on.

4) Bone Health

Mangoes contains Vitamin K. Low intakes of Vitamin K has been associated with a higher risk of bone fracture. The consumption of Vitamin K is vital as it is important for bone health.

5) Skin and Hair

Mangoes contain Vitamin A which is a nutrient required for sebum production that keeps the hair moisturized. Vitamin A is vital for the growth of bodily tissues, which includes the hair and skin.

Mangoes contain Vitamin C as well, where one cup of mangoes can build and maintain collagen in your skin and hair and to provide structure.

6) Heart Disease

Mangoes contain high doses of fiber, potassium and vitamin to help ward off heart disease. With the increase of potassium and decrease in salt intae, this can reduce the chances of one’s risk to cardiovascular disease.

7) Digestion

Mangoes contain mainly fiber and water, which can help prevent constipation and therefore promote healthy digestive tract, which decreases the chances of hemorrhoids

Moving on to the nutritional breakdown of mangoes, aside from the health benefits, it is shown that mangoes are low in calories with only 100 calories, 1g of protein, 0.5g of fats and 25g of carbs.

They are high in vitamins such as A, B-6, C, K and potassium.

                  I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed writing it! 

              Happy Eating !

What Are My Staples? - Food

Hello all you gorgeous people!

Today I would like to give you some ideas on what I keep as my staples and that are a must have in my kitchen when I'm studying abroad.

Click Here to find out what I eat!

The next post will be about keeping under your budget when shopping for healthy groceries and alternatives! - Great for those studying abroad!

Peace out!
NiCholle x

Dry Hair?

Hello and wishing all you readers a very Merry Christmas Eve!
I've been MIA-ing for the past 2 months because I've been settling in back home and I've done quite a bit of traveling!

I will however be updating you on where I travelled and the experience (: I went to Paris, Rome and Pompeii this trip for christmas, and I noticed that the cold has made my hair really dry and dull. I found a remedy to help battle dry hair and thought I'd share with you all!


here it goes!

• Using avocado as a deep treatment! 

Avocados are rich in vitamins, minerals and natural oils (Refer to my old post about avocados) hence why they make great treatments for the hair.

Tips:

1. By using a food processor or blender, mix one ripe avocado and 2 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil and one teaspoon of organic honey. 
2. Apply it to your dry hair (it works better with dry hair as it absorbs faster and more effectively), cover your hair with a shower cap and leave it for 20-30minutes. 
3. Wash with warm water thoroughly and proceed to shampoo your hair. 

• Beer! (Yup you heard it right!) 

If you like to consume beer on a weekly basis then this trick would be no problem for you!
Our hair has damage cuticles that makes your hair look dull, dry and pretty flat when it comes to cold weather (specifically during winter time).

Beer contains proteins that would allow it to fill any space between the damaged area.

Grab one bottle/can of beer and pour it on your roots to your ends and let it sit for a minute to two, rinse with cold water, you may shampoo your hair if you wish, but it is not necessary.

Although this trick works by pouring onto your hair, however drinking beer would not do the trick unfortunately!



I hope this helped you! Merry Christmas! I'll see you in 2 days time with a new post!

xox Nicholle. 

Getting Rid Of Acne

Hi all you beautiful ones! 

It's been awhile, but it's finally fall here! Since summer is around the corner, I thought I'd share with you some of my beauty tips to keep my skin at bay for that beautiful summer glow!

1) SUNSCREEN! 

Majority won't know that sunscreen can actually help your skin feel and look younger. Around 90% of wrinkles are caused by sun exposure. Even if you're heading out for a minute or two, it is recommended to wear sunscreen at all times even at home!

UVA and UVB can penetrate through your skin even though you are at home, as long as there are windows, you can be affected.
Try using a sunscreen with at least sf 30 to keep your skin at bay.

2) Drop them dairy! 

Dairy is mainly the reason at why most people would break out, even though if you purchase organic milk, it still contains hormones which can clog your pores and oil glandes which leads to acne!

3) Exfoliate! 

You know those sponges with the harsher surface? yeah, they are your best friend!
Exfoliating your skin once a week can remove any dead skin cells and unclog your pores which helps your skin breathe and rejuvenate. Your pores appear larger when they are filled with junks (dirt, oil...)

4) DO NOT skip your moisturiser 

I've heard quite a few people tell me that they skip moisturisers during summer time, but the fact is you have to use your moisturiser regardless of the season. It is to keep your skin moist and soft like a baby's butt
Most creams and lotions contain key ingredients that can create a protective barrier for the skin.

5) Use your retinol! 

I've been using retinol and my skin have improved drastically. It helps with skin cell turnover and boost your collagen production to keep skin youthful and firm.
Retinol has great anti-inflammatory effect which is good for treating acne and wrinkles!



Well those are my 5 tips for today! I hope you've been enjoying reading my post but don't forget to click on the right tab on the side to find out more about my skincare routine and tons of other beauty secrets!

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Till next time x 

Ÿ Nicholle Zoe Ÿ