Gift Ideas: Stocking Stuffer Edition!

I feel like when this time of year comes around I always seem to forget the "extra" gifts that need to be given to show my appreciation for their kindness/service to teachers, neighbors, friends, co-workers...and on and on. Think about the little things for the hard to buy...teenager/young adult stocking stuffers!  Here are some great ideas for this year. You can order all these pampering gifts that people love to receive. Enjoy this holiday season!

1. My FAVORITE Glacier Mud Mask - For clear, smooth skin click to learn about the amazing benefits of this mask. 

2. The BEST Lip Gloss - "lasts all day even through an hour long workout so my lips never get dry and chapped" - comes in sweet pink and crystal clear making them perfect gloss over any lip color.

3. Celltrex Ultra - Your first anti-aging serum - perfect for that 20-something year old.  Perfect way to begin prevention of environmental damage to your skin.

4. ReNu Hair Mask - My girls and assistant LOVE this product, makes your hair so soft and more shiny.

5. Moisture Intense Moisturizer - It does exactly what it says - provides moisture during the dry winter both day and night without feeling greasy. Perfect for dry, sensitive skin.

6. BEST SHOWER ITEM Liquid Body Lufra - We adore this product. The fresh scent awakens your senses, cleanses without soap and polishes your skin to silky smooth . 

7. FOR THE MAN IN YOUR LIFE: Dividends Shave Cream - This is so different than the average shave gel - it conditions the skin to keep your man's face smooth, soft and either prevent or minimize fine lines and wrinkles.

8. Epoch Baobab Body Butter - A rich cream for supple skin that stays touchably soft and hydrated all day. The perfect gift.

9. SWEET FEET: Sole Solution - Therapeutic foot cream for those suffering from rough, dry, or cracked feet. See our way to keep your soft sandal ready for whenever you get to show off those pretty feet.

10. BASIC BUT NICE Hand Lotion - This is the perfect size for a backpack, office, or bedside. Who doesn't love good quality lotion?


Happy Holidays!!!

Check out all my products at my website, then contact me (ajulie@me.com) for a 25% discount! 

Gift Ideas: Skin Care (Which Skin Care line is right for your gift?)

The Holidays are right around the corner so lets jump start that gift buying with a creative new gift idea for the hard to buy for: more beautiful skin. Now I know what you are thinking. "Why would we want to gift a skin care line?" Think of the confidence boost you are giving with smoother, softer, lovelier, unblemished, youthful skin. I have always loved receiving skin care as a gift.  To me it is the ultimate luxurious gift I can receive.  I trust the quality of these skin care lines that cover a great range of skin care issues. Give a new kind of gift this year.

1. Nutricentials: Protect your body's first line of defense with this daily skin care regimen, for combination to oily skin or combination to dry skin. 

2. Clear Action: For both the teenager and adult acne alike, this gentle and effective treatment system is designed to help clear the blemishes you have now, fade the signs of past breakouts, and, most importantly, keep skin clear and vibrant for the future. See my blog comparing this acne system to the others out there.

3. Tri-Phasic White:  Minimize dark spots, prevent discoloration, and maintain a luminous, bright complexion. This clinically proven system helps you achieve even-toned, glowing skin. Ideal for people with existing and preventing future hyperpigmentation, discoloration, and dark spots.



4. 180 System: Begin to reverse the effects of environmental aging in as early as one week. Known as "The Cell Renewal Specialist" skin care system, the vitamin C infused in NS's 180° Anti-Aging system enhances your skin’s natural cell renewal for younger looking skin. Ideal for those with fine lines, wrinkles, and discoloration due to sun and wind exposure.

5. ageLOC:  Transformation kit is our most advanced anti-aging system ever, delivering unsurpassed anti-aging benefits. This complete and comprehensive skin care system reveals younger looking skin ideal for those looking for a total transformation. 

Please let me know if you have any questions about any of these systems or the types of skin that would benefits from their use. Be sure to email me (ajulie@me.com) to get up to 25% off these skin care lines. 


ALSO: look later this month for the Stocking Stuffer addition to Gift Ideas. Great body butters, face masks, and more! Be sure to learn more about any of the products I sell (NuSkin) by checking out my facebook page!

America’s Detrimental Addiction: Processed Sugar

Who doesn’t know candy; cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, soda, sugary drinks and other sweet treats were bad for the waistline when over enjoyed?  However, how many of us know just how detrimental and addictive processed sugar can be?  And, do you know where it lurks in our foods, including “healthy” foods?  I just recently became aware of how bad processed sugar is for the human body and all the sneaky places it can be found in our diets…even healthy diets.

You think you are being “healthy” by eating “reduced fat” and “fat free” products.  Well, sadly, any food product that is either “reduced fat” or “fat free” is loaded with sugar to compensate for the lack of fat.  Calories are calories my friends and in order to perform our bodies need some healthy fats so replacing them with sugar is not a good idea.  As a matter of fact, a recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found we are consuming more than three times the six- teaspoons –per-day maximum of sugar recommended by the American Heart Association.  All that sugar adds up to about 300-plus calories each day.  To gain or lose one pound of body weight takes 3,600 calories.  This means if you are downing 300 extra calories just in sugar you will gain one pound in 12 days…just over 30 pounds in a year.

Natural sugar, which our bodies processes easily, can be found in fruit and vegetables like beets, corn, and potatoes so before you enjoy your chocolate chip cookie, you’ve probably already consumed all the sugar your body needs.  Don’t cut back on your produce!  Simply be aware of how much processed sugar is in all the pre-packaged foods you eat.  It is hidden in things that don’t even taste sweet such as bread and salad dressing.

Now you are wondering, “What is so toxic about sugar?”  Basically, sugar is made of both fructose and glucose molecules, which are metabolized differently by your body.  When consumed in excess, fructose triggers your liver to convert it to fat, while glucose triggers a blood-sugar spike and the release of insulin, a fat storing hormone, to counter-act the spike.  This means that eating too much sugar may stimulate your appetite rather than satisfy it, leading to craving more food after eating sugar.  How sneaky!!!  The worst of it all is that in addition to sugar’s association with obesity, excess sugar consumption has been linked to serious conditions like insulin resistance, high triglycerides, fatty liver, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Be sure to just say, “no” to sugary drinks as well.  Researchers speculate that the human body didn’t evolve to register liquid calories the same way it does solid food.  By eliminating sugary drinks, you can slash 350 – 500 calories a day from your diet.

Whether you are either trying to lose weight, or stay healthy it’s a good idea to reduce the amount of processed sugar in your diet.  I still have an occasional sweet treat, after all, I’m human, but by taking processed sugar out of my diet I feel lighter, happier and more energized.

Credit:  Women'sHealth, women'shealthmag.com "Weight Loss Guide", Summer 2012, Bonus: How Sweet It Isn't

Health Tip:  Super Easy-Gift Quality DIY Sugar Scrub for the Shower

Don’t throw out your processed sugar!  Use it to make an exfoliating treat for your hands, feet and entire body.  This also makes a lovely gift at the holidays in a canning jar with pretty ribbon and a cute label.

Ingredients:

Brown Sugar

White sugar

Olive Oil (great antioxidant for your skin)

Lemon juice or any high quality essential oil for scent and extra antioxidant benefits

Using a whisk, mix equal amounts of the brown and white sugar in a bowl.  Slowly pour in enough olive oil to the sugar mixture until crumbly.  Add drops of the essential oil of your choices and whisk thoroughly.  If using lemon juice, add about one tablespoon and a bit more oil until creamy.  Place contents in canning jar and decorate, as you like.  Voila!  Summertime, wintertime, anytime skin treat without the calories.

Gotta Love a Spa Night!

 On Friday, Joy and I threw our 1st Spa/PJ Party! It was so much fun to invite some friends over for a teenage style spa night with food, facials, food soaks, and a cocktail (or two). Required: FUN and PJ pants!

 Joy and I made this great summer banner (how to blog coming this week) from Pinterest! We love it and I will keep it up all summer! We had fun foods like high heeled shoe sugar cookies, chocolate fondue, white bean dip, spa water, and a fun cocktail (another thing we found on Pinterest).

 Who doesn't like relaxing their feet in warm water with Epson salt! After the soak we have amazing products to really keep your feet soft.

 Joy and I with facials on! So fun for us to have everyone over! To see more fun photos, check out our Facebook album!

 Jill and Wendy were so silly and fun! Who says adults can't have fun like teenagers? These ladies took our PJ theme to the end, rollers, PJ "outfits", and the occasional split personality ;)

Thank you for those of you that joined us for the party! It was such a fun night to share with these amazing ladies!

Gift Baskets!

 "Anti-Aging or Turning 50" Basket - For the person in your life who wants to turn back the clock.

 My assistant came up with the great idea to have a Mother's Day basket for my clients. I always love getting a basket full of goodies, who doesn't? Then the ideas just started flowing for all these fun baskets! Here are just a few of the ones we came up with. Check my facebook page for the rest of the fun baskets along with the details of what is included in each basket and their prices.

 "Beach Basket" - Comes with the fun sand bucket! Perfect for a day on the beach.

 "Birthday Basket" - The things you might not treat yourself with.

 "Mother's Day Basket" - Perfect to pamper your Mom this year.

"Sandal Ready!" Basket - Who doesn't want their feet to look sexy smooth in sandals?

Have a price point in mind? We can work with you to create a custom gift basket personalized for your lucky recipient!

Holiday Tradition - The Dice Game

Guest Posting – Julie’s Assistant Joy

For most Christmas’ while I was growing up, my family would get bundled up and drive from Southern Minnesota to Fargo, North Dakota for Christmas. The Holiday was filled with both sides of my entire family, amazing food, a children’s Christmas program (when we were really little), and lots of laughs and memories. During this event, about 5 years ago we began a tradition that I’d like to share with you for this Holiday season. Traditions are what we all look forward to at the holidays so I hope you enjoy reading about my favorite one.

To me, the holiday is not about the gifts and this is a great alternative to the gift exchange within families and creates a perfect holiday tradition you will remember long past any gift you receive.

The Dice Game – Joy’s Family Tradition
You can buy, or find in your home, interesting and cheap/free things to wrap up that are suitable for the various ages of who will be participating. This year I went to a few retailers and got things like cute recipe cards, magnets, and my husband ordered a few “guy” toys online. Each family brings about 10 items (in my case that is 50 gifts for about 15 people playing) wrapped and placed under a separate tree from the rest of the presents.  Start the Christmas music, grab a drink (hot cocoa is always fun) and  2 dice. Each person shakes the dice and when you get doubles you pick out a gift from the pile and open it.  When all the gifts have been opened, then doubles mean you get to steal a gift from someone else’s pile! This is where is gets interesting….you never know what will be the gift that EVERYONE seems to want. Then about every few minutes (someone keeps track) you stop the game and get to keep one of the gifts in the pile in front of you by placing the gift behind you. Once time is up – everyone has received a few cute small gifts and had many laughs while playing.

(Hint for an extra surprise: My mom once rolled a $5 bill into a toilet paper roll. No one knew it was there and didn’t want toilet paper! Now we check everywhere within the gift for surprises!)

My husband and I are flying to Fargo for Christmas this year and I have been looking for “Dice Game” gifts for months! Let us know if you tried out this game this Holiday and tell me what you think!
Merry Christmas Everyone!

Health Tip:  Dicey Health –Dicey Life (by Julie)
This is the time of year when we all begin to make resolutions for the impending year to come.  Think carefully about how you have felt, health wise, all year and right now.  Do you have as much energy as you like?  Do you like the way you look?  Write down all the things you eat and drink in an average week each year.  Write down how often and for how long you exercise in an average week over the past year. I believe we all have a pretty good idea of what we should be doing for our health. Write down one change you can make on a daily basis in your diet, substituting one unhealthy food/beverage for a healthier food/beverage.  Write down one change for the better you can make in your weekly exercise regime.   Next, you have to tell someone your plan.  You need to have accountability for success – we all do!  For example, I know a woman that gave up dessert after dinner for 1 year and lost 10 pounds by the end of the year!  One simple change made her feel better and her clothes fit better.  Don’t make dramatic resolutions because those are hard, if not impossible to keep.  Start with baby steps.  You will feel better about yourself and feel like you are taking control of your health and consequently, your life.  If you need support, seek out the help of a professional to get started.  Don’t leave your wellness to fate like a roll of the dice.  Resolve to take charge one tiny step at a time.

10 Days Until Christmas –Really

Here we are 10 days until Christmas!  Should be super exciting, right?  Well, I am a little freaked out because I haven’t finished my shopping and I am thinking about all the wrapping I will need to do once the shopping is complete!  On top of that in the back of my mind, I have all these cookies and sweet treats I’d like to make.  Oh, and lets not forget about the holiday cards yet to be sent and the customer appreciation gifts I need to mail once I receive what I have ordered to give my customers.  Maybe everyone would rather have New Year’s cards and gifts?  Here is my answer to that:

If you think you can’t then you will be like all the ordinary reindeer and you won’t be able to fly! Believe in the impossible.
~Unknown
Ok, after reading that quote I just took a long, deep breath.  Did you?  Sometimes I make big lists of things for myself to do because I think it will make the holidays SO special for my children, their significant others, my spouse, family members, friends that stop by…pretty much the entire county I live in…just in case.  Every year I hope for world peace.  This year I will hope for inner “holiday” peace for myself.  I think this is a great idea because my inner peace will pass through me to everyone I come in contact with during the holidays.

Health Tip:  Gift Yourself!

Give yourself a gift this year by reminding yourself that all the holiday magic is in your heart.  If you are too busy with details you cannot hear your heart.  Take some time to evaluate what is really important on your holiday list of things to do.  Scratch out the ones that would be nice but not necessary.  By simplifying your list you leave room in your brain to hear your heart.  You and your loved ones will enjoy a more meaningful and enjoyable holiday.  Peace be with you!

This Year Give the Gift of a Personalized Beauty Basket…12 Days Until Christmas!

If you are like me you probably have a small collection of baskets, boxes and tins stored in a cabinet or on a shelf in your garage. Here’s an easy way to use that basket for a fun and different themed holiday gift. How fun is this?

Instead of a pre-made gift basket, dress up your own container, add items selected just for your recipient then wrap in clear cellophane. Pick out their favorite beauty magazine, throw in any of these delightful items: NS’s Herbal Mineral Bath for hydration while soaking in the tub, Exfoliant Scrub to remove rough, dry skin to smooth the face, Lip Gloss that plumps lips or Lip Balm (with sunscreen), and a cute headband – wrap in cellophane (found in any gift supply store) and tie together with a pretty ribbon tied in a bow with an ornament or jingle bell and you have a personalized gift. Add a handmade card if you are really crafty and want to make it really special. Please contact me very soon for your gift basket/stocking stuffer needs to get a 30% discount.

Health Tip: Winter Sun Protection
Enhance your sun protection with the right foods. “In general, fruits and vegetables are foods high in antioxidants and help us fight free radicals and sun damage, while foods such as meat, dairy products, simple carbohydrates, sugar and processed foods cause inflammation and can contribute to making sun damage worse,” according to leading dermatologists.
Foods like leafy greens, peppers, squash, watermelon, blueberries and tomatoes that are rich in vitamin C and the antioxidants, carotenoids and lycopenes can help prevent sun damage.
Don’t forget to apply a sunscreen even in the winter. NS’s tinted moisturizers with sunscreen provide light coverage and protection from the sun. NS’s Body Block with SPF 30 are good for both face and body with the added benefit of being water resistant, a very important detail in sun protection.