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Fré Skincare

Posted on May 11, 2020 by Charlene Solomon | 42 Comments

We spend so much money on skincare products and love when we find products that actually work. That is one of the many reasons, we love Fré Skincare. 

Use code TRINAS for 15% Off anytime and more during special promotions. 

Fre Skincare Revive Me Serum

Favorite Product: Revive Me Deep Replishing Serum

 

Fre Skincare Set

Skincare sets allow you to try multiple products at a great value. 

+ Made for active skin that sweats

+ Argan tree planted for every set purchased

+ Empowers women

 

The Myth of Multi-Tasking

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Trina Solomon | 21 Comments

Multi-Tasking

 

We are often the ones that push ourselves the hardest and put pressure on ourselves to get so much done within a day. Each day only has so many hours so we resort to multi-taking to get things done. But is multi-taking effective? Or would we actually be more productive in the long run if we focused on one thing at a time?

 

The goal of multitasking is to efficiently complete 2 or more tasks at the same time. What research shows is that the brain is actually not capable of this. What the brain does is keeps switching back and forth from one task to the other. This unfocused back and forth switching actually causes both tasks to get done at a slower rate. According to Psychology Today, when you attempt to multi-task you actually end up taking you 40% longer to finish then you would by just giving one task your attention.

 

Not only does multi-tasking slow you down, it has other downsides. It can cause you to feel anxious. When we feel productive, we feel good. Feeling unproductive does not produce those same positive feelings. So when we slow down our effectiveness, anxiety can creep in. Multi-taking also occupies our brain which can take away creativity. Creativity loves space. When your brain is crowded with tasks, it is less spacious. This busy brain state can also result in more mistakes. When you are not as focused you increase the margin for error.  

 

So multi-tasking causes you to worker slower, be less creative, increase your anxiety levels and make more mistakes. This does not sound like a winner to us.

 

The more you multi-task, the more your brain gets used to that super busy mode as opposed to a spacious focused mode. We recommend, prioritizing tasks and tackling them one at a time. Remind yourself that this is the most productive path to success.

 

Here is a fun little multi-tasking test for you.

1) Spell aloud, letter by letter, “Leggings are comfortable” at the same time as you write your full name.

2) Spell aloud, letter by letter, “Leggings are comfortable” and then, after you are done with that, write your name.

Comment and let us know your experience with multitasking.

Posted in HEALTH&WELLNESS

All Season + All Generation Trends

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Trina Solomon | 0 Comments

We love trends like bike shorts and heeled flip flops (hmmm)! But we especially love trends that cross seasons and age spans! Shall we call it, intergenerational all season style. (think high waisted and crochet) Check out a few of our favorite trends below with recommendations.

 

STATEMENT SNEAKERS

1. Fila Disrupter Sneakers 

These dad sneakers are chunky, white clouds of comfort. The sneaker brings back that early 90's vibe. 

 Fila Disruptor Sneaker

2. Reebok High Top Sneakers  

We are loving Lime Green and these High Top Reebok do not disappoint. These are not required to be worn with a colorful leotard and tights. They look great with jeans for a comfortable pop of style. 

Reebok High Top Lime 

 3. Hush Puppies Power Walkers 

Never thought Hush Puppies would be leading the trend but here they are.. Shrimp colored Power Walkers with velcro closure. It does not get more cross generational than this! 

 Hush Puppies Power Walker Shrimp

BAMBOO HANDBAGS

1. Ayana Half Moon Bamboo Bag

 Classic style with an edge! This bamboo bag ups the ante of any outfit by making a sophisticated statement. 

Ayana Half Moon Bamboo

 2. Ulu Round Bamboo Purse 

For those that love the bamboo trend but also like a more unique twist. The Ulu bag has a long strap that can be worn on one shoulder or cross body. 

Ulu Bamboo Purse

Handmade Natural Bags

1. Nusa Handwoven Circular Bag

Handwoven in Bali with a special type of plant that is made to be long lasting and durable. The Nusa handbag is hypnotic. 

Nusa Circular Handwoven Bag

2. Bali Handwoven Circular Bag

The bag that both you and your grandmother/granddaughter can carry. Literally. We know a duo that has them. Available in 4 sizes to accommodate your essentials. 

Bali Woven Handbag Circular

  

3. Sally Seashell Clutch

Handwoven with seashells and fringe, the Sally Seashell Clutch is a winner with show stopping style. 

Sally Seashell Handwoven Clutch

CLASSIC HATS

1. Lack of Color Rancher  

Our personal favorite is the Lack of Color Rancher. We love this Zulu creamy gray color on all skin tones. The classic styling looks great on everyone. 

Lack of Color Rancher Hat

2. Lack of Color Riviera Hat

Channel Susie Myerson from Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in this stylish hat. Bonus: it also reminds us of one of our favorite characters from childhood movies, Fivel from An American Tail

Lack of Color Riviera Hat

 

3. Budget Friendly Straw Hat with UPF

Everybody needs an easy on the pocketbook straw hat with UPF! This one wins for price and style. 

 UPF Straw Hat

CROCHET

Crochet crosses all categories and all ages.

1. Along Came Moly Bag

Beaded and Crochet, this boho inspired Along Came Molly bag keeps you from being boring. A shade of sunflower yellow is a great transition from summer to fall and back again. 

Along Came Molly Crochet Bag

2. Dundee Cotton Macrame Wall Hanging

Crochet is back with a vengenace. This wall hanging is hand made with a variety of textures and looks great hanging in your home all year long. 

Dundee Macrame Wall Hanging

3. Beach Coverup

Budget friendly crochet. This beach coverup is great in the summer and can also be paired with leggings for cooler seasons.  

Crochet Beach Coverup

Posted in Fashion, INSPO

Inspired by... The Beach Edit

Posted on August 29, 2019 by Trina Solomon | 0 Comments

We are continuously inspired by what surrounds us. So we decided to share some photos that inspire us along with products, locations and tips to capture the feeling of the photo.

Devin Brugman

Beach Chic with @devinbrugman

This image is clean, crisp and refreshing. The key to looking fresh is being happy and having fun. To recreate, try these items:

-The actual swimsuit in the photo: Monday Swimwear Bahamas One Piece

Monday Swimwear Bahamas One Piece

 

-Add a pop of turquoise colored water with Essie Nail Polish in Garden Variety

Essie Nail Polish Teal

-Obtain the perfect beach waves with  Oribe Apres Beach Wave Spray

Oribe Apres Beach Wave Spray

 

 

Kelsey Floyd

Boho Beach with @kelsrfloyd

For this down to earth bohemian vibe, check out these items.

-Adorable beach tent to create your haven Pleasure and Company Premium Beach Tent

 Pleasure and Company Premium Beach Tent

-Add a boho inspired crochet and fringe beach bag SoloSol Movement Holy Jackpot Bag

SoloSol Movement Holy Jackpot Beach Bag

-Keep yours (and baby's) skin protected with BabyBum Sunblock

Baby Bum Sunblock

 

Rocky Barnes Instagram

Retro Beach with @RockyBarnes

For this oh so retro, monochromatic beach look, add some polka dots and stripes.

-Keep it bold and fresh with a Polka Dot Beach Towel 

Polka Dot Beach Towel

-Add the stripes with Business and Pleasure Striped Beach Umbrella

Business and Pleasure Striped Beach Umbrella

-Location, Location, Location at Miami Beaches Edition Hotel

Miami Beaches Edition Hotel

 

 

Cristina Ortega @highonyoga

Tone and Tropical with @highonyoga

This photo is all fun and fitness (and major #yogagoals). Keep the inspiration going with these suggestions. 

–Take a yoga class with Cristina Ortega at Sol Yoga Miami 

Sol Yoga Studio Miami

-Add a pop of red with Essie Nail Polish 

 

Essie Red Nail Polish

-Go for the full effect with white beach sand 

White Beach Sand

 

These are just our fun suggestions based on photos that inspire us. These are not necessarily endorsed by the models. 

 

 

 

Posted in Fashion, HEALTH&WELLNESS, INSPO, INSTAGRAM, TRAVEL

Top 5 Favorite Beauty Travel Goodies

Posted on June 30, 2019 by Trina Solomon | 0 Comments

Here is a list of our top 5 favorite beauty travel goodies and the reasons why.

 Beauty Products

  1. Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask This is the newest item on our list. We have seen this popping on IG for a while and finally decided to try it. It is unlike any other mask we have every used as it is a really thick cream that you leave on. It didn’t clog pores and left skin looking fresh in the morning.

 Summer Fridays

  1. Everyone for Everybody Hand Sanitizer Spray Coconut Lemon We recommend using this on the plane when you first board by spraying the seat and tray. It's great for anywhere on the go like airport, taxi or restaurants to freshen up your hands. It smells yummy delicious and keeps you germ free.

 Coconut Hand Sanitizer

  1. Peace Out Puffy Eyes We have tried a lot of eye masks and this one gives the best result in terms of reducing the puffiness of my eyes. They are cloudy gel like boomerang shaped pads that you place under your eyes. We notice a difference as soon as we remove them. We noticed the longer you left them on, the better the results.  

PuffyEyes

  1. Amore Pacific Hydration Mist This is a life saver. Use this often on the plane and throughout the day. It is a light mist that feels refreshing on your face and just seems to keep skin looking more fresh and hydrated. It is also great for travel to hot destinations because it is refreshing.

 Amore Pacific

  1. La Roche Posay SPF 50 Tinted This is our #1 go to face SPF for travel and everyday life. We are very mindful of using sunblock on face and body and this is our favorite face sunblock. For those that break out easily,  this does not break you out. It is light and goes on easily. We love the tinted version because it helps balance out uneven skin tone.

La Roche Posay

Beauty Products

Posted in HEALTH&WELLNESS, TRAVEL

DESTINATION: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-Sanctuary Cap Cana Review

Posted on June 18, 2019 by Trina Solomon | 35 Comments

DESTINATION: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-Sanctuary Cap Cana Review

Important Note: Since my return from the Dominican Republic, there have been many media reports regarding the safety of travel to areas near the resort. You may do additional research before you make your travel decisions.

Priorities:

  1. Beach
  2. Relaxation/Ease
  3. Beauty
  4. Adventure
  5. Food & Drinks 

I love to travel and I have not met a beach or tropical destination that I haven’t loved.  My priorities for this trip were: Beach, Relaxation/Ease, Beauty, Adventure and Food & Drinks. Read below for my insight on how Sanctuary Cap Cana measures up.  This is written as a review from my perspective and with the mindset of what you would need to know if you wanted to visit the resort.

Trina Solomon

Beach: There is no such thing as too much time on the beach. I live at the beach and prefer to also vacation at the beach. While others are securing a spot at the pool, I go straight to the sand. The beach at Sanctuary is smaller but there are a variety of lounge chairs, day beds and really cool wicker day bed loungers.

There are 2 parts to the beach: The sand and the water. The sand is beautiful white sand so that’s perfect. However, the swim area is enclosed with seaweed barriers. The first week of May is the transition of seaweed season. Seaweed would gather on the beach in the morning and would be effectively cleaned up. However, if it rained, the seaweed quickly and drastically gathered.  There are villas on the beach that face away from the resort that were swamped in with seaweed as well as the smaller beach areas on the castle side of the resort.  So, if seaweed bothers you, check the season you are traveling. It didn’t really bother us as it was cleaned up pretty quickly (with the exception of the one day it rained and there was too much seaweed to swim). Another important note: there are lots of large rocks (maybe even some concrete blocks) in the water so if you are swimming or walking in the water, they sneak up on you out of nowhere. There were definitely some scraped toes and banged feet. I love to swim so I would have preferred a larger swim area and no large concrete blocks in the water.

 

Trina Solomon

Relaxation/Ease: Major score here. Warm Caribbean breeze and unique loungers spread throughout the resort seal the deal. We originally stayed in the standard Ocean View room and that was great. Nice view of the beach and a spacious room. It did smell very musty so we kept the door open anytime we were in the room. For the last few nights, we upgraded to one of the beachfront villas (1010) and that was absolutely amazing. There were 2 sets of double doors that opened right on to the beach with the most amazing view. Adding to the ease is the all inclusive food & drinks. You don’t have to carry a wallet around, budget meals or cocktails or worry about where to eat. This helps add to the relaxation. The staff was very friendly and accommodating but not overbearing.

Trina Solomon

Villa

 Trina Solomon

 

Beauty: I am an aesthetic person. My eyes love to look at pretty things: aqua water, white sand, wicker loungers… Sanctuary Cap Cana has multiple buildings, villas and beach and pool areas so there was something interesting every way you looked. My creative outlet is taking photos. I love to find beautiful spots for backdrops or palm trees to frame photos. This was the perfect place! There were so many little corners with great views that made the perfect backdrops. I could have spent a few more days just to take advantage of all of the interesting spots to take photos. 

Dominican Republic Sanctuary Cap Cana

Dominican Republic Sanctuary Cap Cana

Trina Solomon

Adventure: In addition to total relaxation, I love adventure. This can come in many forms: kayak, stand up paddle board, hiking, zip lining, checking out a marketplace or local hotspot. There was not much adventure to be had here. There were no water activities (small swim area enclosed by seaweed barriers). The Cap Cana area is isolated so there were no recommendations from the resort on a local hotspot to checkout. They actually recommended not leaving the resort. The only adventure that was available was the adjoining public Juanillo Beach. This is a large beautiful white sand beach with one cute restaurant and lounge area. This was a nice walk that ended with the beach at Dreams Resort and just before that is the start of construction for a massive Hyatt resort. So, we scratched the adventure goal off the list and replaced it with additional relaxation and leisurely walks on the beach.

Trina Solomon

Food & Drinks: I love good food (and tropical drinks). However, when I am staying at an all inclusive, I try not to set my standards too high on the food aspect. I’m glad I did this because the food here was not special. It was fine but it was simple. It lacked Caribbean flavor. There was an Asian restaurant that was good but I didn’t travel to the Dominican for Asian food. There was an Italian restaurant that was good but again I did not travel to the Dominican for pasta. There was a steakhouse. I am a pescatarian so I had fish, which was good. The restaurant that featured the breakfast buffet had a fantastic view and there was a wide variety of food but it was all just okay. The best breakfast was the room service we had delivered to the villa and was scrambled eggs with mashed plantains and fried cheese. The best restaurant was the Blue Marlin which offered lots of seafood choices and some Dominican specialties (all meat so I didn’t try any). The view here was great as it was on a pier over the water. The bummer is that the Blue Marlin was randomly closed 3 of the nights we were there so we never got to eat dinner there. The best thing about the food was the access to it and the views while eating it. Drinks on the other hand were great all around! Lots of variety and options for upgraded liquors. They offered wine as well which was nice with dinner. There was an additional area called Sanctuary Town that had a pizza place, taco truck and more restaurants. We walked around there a few times but honestly I still don’t understand the whole thing.

Trina Solomon

Overall: This was an amazing trip to an amazing destination. Feel free to reach out for any additional insight or to let us know how your experience was.

Trip: May 2019

Trina Solomon

 

 

Posted in DESTINATION, TRAVEL

What to Wear Under There… The Pantyline Guide

Posted on June 07, 2019 by Charlene Solomon | 0 Comments

The conversation is real. What are you supposed to wear under your leggings? After many years of personal research and experience, we are sharing our top picks.

 

  1. First of all, consider going commando, of course!  
    Avoid VPL (Visible Panty Lines) at all cost. Our built-in gusset and moisture wicking fabric makes going commando more comfortable. Feel the FREEDOM!!! 

 

  1. Third Love.
    Seamless thongs and cheeky hipsters. Do yourself a favor and order the matching bra, both are amazingly comfortable!!!

 

  1. Commando (The brand).
    If you like a more full-coverage panty. The lace bikini bottoms don't ride up, stay in place, and are super cute! The hipster is easy and comfortable.

Commando 

  1. Exoficio
    If you don't mind a panty-line, the Give-N-Go Bikini. Breathable mesh, Moisture-wicking, and anti-microbial. Great panties for those all-day yoga workshops, retreats, camping, and more. 

 

  1. Thinx.
    If you haven't tried these period panties yet, you are truly missing out! And YES, you can actually wear them under your yoga pants without fear of leaking. Charlene's favorite is the Hiphugger for heavy days! Trina likes the thong to avoid panty lines.

  

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