Green Tea Beauty

I love green tea!!  I don't drink coffee...I don't drink black tea...I don't drink soda (except on special occasions, I love me a Diet Dr Pepper!) and the only two energy drinks I like are Xynergy Xience and Sugar Free Red Bull.  Of course water is #1 for so many reasons...but today I want to talk about Green Tea and how GOOD it is for you!! 

As I've tried to eat a cleaner (less processed, healthier) diet I have gotten into the habit of reading ingredients on my food and drinks (thus why I don't drink soda often anymore) and I am SHOCKED at how many green teas have junk in them!!  In particular the Fuze Green Tea, the first ingredient is High Fructose Corn Syrup! What?! That stuff is just plain nasty and doesn't belong in any thing.  So when  I was shopping at HEB the other day I discovered an Organic Green Tea drink by the company Steaz and after checking the ingredients and finding it agreeable I grabbed a couple flavors to try (peach-mango and raspberry).  Let me tell you...DE-LISH!!!!!!  I'm hooked!  So hooked my sweet husband went back and got me one of each flavor offered, what a great guy!

(ingredients from blueberry pomegranate)

  Anywho...I have always known green tea is super good for you and has all sorts of antioxidants but that's about as far as my knowledge went. So after discovering Steaz I thought...I should learn more about green tea and share with you all (the links where I read about green tea, it's benefits, and application techniques will be at the end of this post)!  After all, to be beautiful and confident on the outside we must be healthy on the inside! 

One more thing before I get into this...although I have a slight obsession with Steaz Green Tea's now, buying the bagged green tea you brew yourself will ALWAYS be the best way to go!  Aside from there being a plethora of benefits that require use of a tea bag, it's the "cleanest" way to go, which of course means its the healthiest. If it's too bitter for you by itself (which most of the time it is for me) then just add some all natural honey to it and that'll sweeten it up! You could also add some fruit juice to give it more flavor if you like that. 

So what exactly can Green Tea do for YOU?

                                           -Boost your metabolism 

                                            -Slow signs of aging

-Reduce eczema

-Protection against sun damage

-Protection against cancer

-Brighten complexion

-Reduce breakouts and lessen pimples

-Freshen breath 

-Whiten teeth

-Reduce blood pressure

-Reduce stress and anxiety

-Reduce eye puffiness

-Make your hair shiny

-Reduce depression

-Regulate diabetes

-Reduce cholesterol

-Delay mind deterioration in elderly

I won't go into all the science behind it...but the links at the end of this post can lead you to some fantastic explanations but in a nutshell green tea fights the bad stuff, eliminates toxins, improves the skin and just overall helps you be healthier!  

                             What are the best ways to use Green                                     Tea? I thought you might ask...

                                             - Drink it (duh)

                     -Brew some up and use it as a facial toner.  Either rub the pre-brewed tea bag over your face or use a cotton ball with cold green tea after cleansing

-Steam facial.  Brew it up, put it in a glass bowl, then stick your head over the bowl with a towel to keep the steam in.  Go for about 5 minutes.

-Exfoliator.  Cut open a tea bag, put them on  your face, and rub in a circular motion

-Pimple reducer.  Hold a green tea bag to your pimple for a couple minutes every night till it disappears

-Toothpaste.  Just mix some green tea with baking soda to make a paste! It's even ok to swallow it!

-Apply cold green tea bags to  your eyes for 10 minutes and voila! No more puffiness!

-Brew some up, let it cool completely, poor on clean hair and leave in for 15 minutes then rinse

So obviously Green Tea is AMAZING.  Like Superman for your body.  So now I want to hear from you! Have you tried any of these methods before? Do you have any of your own tips and tricks about green tea? Let me know!!  

XOXO  

My sources:

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-benefits-of-green-tea-that-you-didnt-know-about.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Green-Tea-on-Your-Face-to-Achieve-Prettier-Skin

http://www.smartskincare.com/treatments/topical/greentea.html

http://www.newbeauty.com/blog/dailybeauty/5711-the-beauty-of-green-tea/

http://www.totalbeauty.com/editors_blogs/green-tea-a-potent-beauty-drink

http://idiva.com/opinion-health/beauty-benefits-of-green-tea/28676

Apple? Pear? What to Wear?

This is part 2 to learning more about your body shape! If you don't know your body shape yet click here.  I am by no means a professional or genius with this stuff, but I've done some research and will share the basics of what I have learned!  If you have any additional knowledge PLEASE share!!!  

 So our goal when choosing what to wear is to make sure we are showcasing each body shapes strengths and downplaying the weaknesses!

Apples

All you apples with fantastic shoulders and slim arms and legs will want to look for...

Tops: 

• V-neck and/or other lower neckline (v-necks will give help you appear longer)
• Woven material (less clingy)
• Empire waist
• Wrap tops
• Rouched tops
• Darker or solid colors 
• Layered tops
• Structured jackets with v-neck (like a blazer) 
• Belted tops and dresses

Bottoms:

• Wide leg, boot cut or flare pants
• Printed pants
• Lighter colors and faded jeans
• Flared skirts
• Above the knee skirts
• Booty pockets (the flappier and more embellished the pocket, the better!)

What NOT to wear:

• High neck tops 
• Tops or jackets that hit above the hip bone (we want long and lean!) 
• Skinny jeans (sorry apples! skinnies aren't for you!)
• Bold patterns on top
• Baggy tops with poofy sleeves
• Darker jeans (it will make your hips look even smaller! Balance!)
• Shoulder pads

Here is a couple outfit ideas from Target!

Pears

All you curvy pears with slim shoulders and waists will want to look for...

Tops:

• Wide neck lines
• Patterns and embellishments
• Brighter colors
• Halter tops or wide strapped tanks
• Empire waist
• Wrap dress

Bottoms:

• Darker colors
• A-line or flared skirts
• Straight-legged, flare or wide-leg pants

What NOT to wear:

• Pants with large pockets and embellishments (we want the attention to go up, not down)
• Bold patterns, pockets, full skirts and dresses below the waist
• Skinny jeans (sorry pears! skinnies aren't for you either!)
• High-waisted pants (they make your booty look bigger!)
• Flashy belts (remember, we want attention to go up!)
• Jackets or tops that end at the widest part of your hips

Banana

All you bananas are in for a treat!  Bananas can wear the almost anything...

Tops:

• Any neckline
• Any sleeve
• Any shirt styles (but make sure and embellishments are closer to the bust than the waist!)
• Hip length or longer jackets, sweaters and ponchos
• Dresses with less defined waists (especially drop-waist dresses!)
• Wrap tops and dresses (create more curves!)
• Belted waists
• Fitted jacket

Bottoms:

• Any skirts (flared skirt will give illusion of curvier hips!)
• Most pants (YES that includes skinny jeans!)
• Horizontal lines

What NOT to wear:

• Flared pants
• Clingy dresses (will show lack of curves, trust me!)
• Vertical lines
• Empire waists

Hourglass

The not-fruit body shape!  Hourglasses are so curvy and proportionate...I'm a little jealous!

Tops:

• Any top that hugs (but doesn't suffocate) your curves!  
• Belted tops
• Empire waists
• Round, v-neck or sweetheart neckline
• Wrap tops and dresses

Bottoms:

• Any pants will work (but avoid low-waisted pants!)
• Any skirt will work (again, avoid anything low-waisted!)
• Jumpsuits are particularly attractive with a belt on the waist!

What NOT to wear:

• Wide necklines
• Shapeless tops and dresses

So there's the basics for you!!!  Most people will probably be a combo of those up there...I'm pretty much straight banana...if I gain weight its right in the mid section (that reminds me...I need to get a new gym membership now that I'm in San Antonio...yep, that's right! Just moved here! Super exciting stuff..but I digress...).  But the MOST important thing you want to pay attention to isn't the neck line or the print on the pants...the most important thing is that YOU are comfortable and confident in what you are wearing!!!  This is just a guide to help give you ideas of the style that might look best on you...but if you are a pear and you just LOVE the way you look in skinny jeans, by all means WEAR THE SKINNY JEANS!!  The purpose of these two posts is to give you a little insight into your own body and help you get in tune with yourself and realize everyone is unique, therefore something that looks good on someone you admire, it may not look good on you...not because you are fat or ugly or this or that...it's because your body is different!  And different is good :)

Let me know what you think in the comments below! Have a great day!

Are you an apple or a pear?

Just like with anything else in life, before we get into the FUN part of fashion we need to understand the basics!  By figuring out your body shape you'll know just what styles of clothing to watch for and which styles to avoid.

Have you tried figuring out your body shape before? You probably found a comparison with fruits, household objects or scientific sounding words that made you feel like you needed a class to understand them...can you tell I was one of those searching for my body shape?  Well for the sake of simplicity I am going to stick with the basic fruits...even though it cracks me up, they are the most common comparison I've seen.  

To make things even easier for you go ahead and click on this link: http://www.calculator.net/body-type-calculator.html

Add in your bust, waist and hip measurements and it will tell you which fruit you resemble!  

Now...let's talk fruit...

Apples.  

Apples have narrow hips and broader shoulders and bust.  You might also see this type as a downward triangle.  Some celebs with apple body types are Angelina Jolie, Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Hudson. Look at those beautiful shoulders! 

Pears. 

Pears are the opposite of apples, they have wider hips and narrower shoulders.  Just flip that triangle and it's a pear. Some celebrity pears include Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna.  I think they have gorgeous curves! 

Bananas.  

Bananas have similar measurements between the bust, waist and hips. Also known as straight, rectangle or boyish.  This is my body type! And although I used to be (ok, sometimes still am) jealous of the curvier figures I'm embracing my narrow frame! Celeb bananas include Emma Stone, Natalie Portman and Eva Longoria.  

And last but certainly not least (or a fruit for that matter)...the hourglass!  

Hourglasses have a waist 10 or more inches smaller than their bust and hips. Celeb hourglasses include Scarlett Johansson, Beyoncé and of course Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn!

So there you have it! The four basic body shapes! Yes, there are more variations out there (apparently my sister was classed as an avacado...what?!) but why confuse yourself more than necessary?

Now I want to hear from you! What is your body shape and what do you LOVE about it?

XOXO

PS- Stay tuned for my next post which will show you how to dress your body shape and some outfit ideas to get you started!  Need an outfit for a certain occasion or style? Comment below the occasion, style, and your body shape! I'll feature it in my next post!

Welcome!

Welcome to Audrey & Marilyn!

Let me begin by introducing myself...I am a 25 year old mother of 2.  I have a love for fashion, beauty and helping others.  In the words of Repunzel "I have a dream! I have a dream!" My dream is to turn Audrey & Marilyn into a Chic Spa-Boutique!!  That is quite a ways down the road, so for now I am starting with a fashion and beauty blog!  I am SO excited to share this part of myself with you and get to know you, and your fashion needs, as well!  I have recently been dubbed "fashionista" (I'm not going to pretend that didn't give me butterflies ;)) by more than one person, as well as have multiple people come to me for advice!  How cool to realize something I love is something I could use to help people!

I was not always a "fashionista" though! It is something I have studied (via google and pinterest) and practiced (thanks to all my friends who helped me along the way!) and have fallen head over heels in love with! I'd like to say it's a talent I have developed and something I will always be learning more about!

So while I have these super fun and exciting ideas I'll be sharing with you soon...I want to hear from YOU!!  This blog isn't just about me and my dreams...it's about YOU and YOUR DREAMS!!!   Let me explain...

Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe...incredible, beautiful, unique and strong are all words that come to mind!  They both had so much class, they were both so incredible GORGEOUS, they were both unique, didn't care what people thought of them and followed their dreams!  They didn't let anyone stand in their way!  Can you tell I love them?  All of those things are the spirit of my Audrey & Marilyn...I don't want you to JUST get fashion advice or beauty tips from this blog...I want you to feel empowered and inspired.  I want you to take the essence of Audrey and Marilyn and embrace you're own unique-ness! I want each of you to leave this blog thinking you can conquer the world (all you need are the right shoes after all ;)).

Follow your dreams, embrace yourself, know that "Nothing is impossible. The words themselves say I'm Possible!"

XOXO