Ikigai: Your reason for waking up in the morning; the passion that drives your life.
When it came to choosing a Speechlust Jewelry tag and selecting what I’m most passionate about, it was tough choice between wanderlust and ikigai. I do love to travel (or lust to wander, as it were), and I’m always dreaming of my next adventure and clamouring to fly or drive to discover places new to me (or even just walking and discovering places within my hometown), but in the end, I went with ikigai (which is the combination of two Japanese words, iki for life and gai meaning “the realization of what one expects and hopes for,” because there are many things I’m passionate about that drive my life.
Some days I’m passionate about running (although some days, I can’t bear the thought of it because I feel drained mentally, nine marathons and 13 halfs and numerous other races will do that to you if you’re not careful). Some days it’s my lovable cats. Often it’s the laughs I have with my friends. And, let’s face it, sometimes what I’m passionate about is the simple deliciousness of homemade granola sprinkled on top of Greek yogurt.
Ever since I’ve been wearing my Speechlust Jewelry, I find myself touching the smooth gold tag hanging around my neck and reminding myself to enjoy the little moments of each day that drive my life. Because it can be all too easy to get caught up in meeting deadline, gossiping and what have you.
For more about the Canadian line Speechlust Jewelry, check my post on Vitamin Daily.
February 29, 2016
A big part of this blog revolves around how I approach life. I think balance in most everything is key, and I think it’s important to be good to yourself (and, sure, for me sometimes that means eating ice cream or a doughnut, but it also means going for a run with a girlfriend so we have time to work out and catch up). A refreshing routine in which you put yourself first and treat yourself well; now I don’t always succeed at this, in fact, I typically feel like I”m running on empty, but then I make sure I keep it in check by then pausing to get that balance back into my life by, for example, skipping that party because a night in is really what my mind and body needs.
My beauty regimen is another way I look to treat myself. Yes, I do get many products to test out, but not for a second do I take it for granted. The girly girls and beauty junkies reading this should related to how you’ll always have the tiniest squeal of joy when you pull that luxe lipstick out of your handbag and touch up your lips, or how good it feels when you catch a whiff of your own favourite perfume.
Most recently, it’s been a skincare line, Refresh Botanicals, that’s been rewarding me daily. The natural line is based out of Toronto and is 88% organic, so it feels good to know it’s local and free of harsh chemicals. What struck me most about the line when I first tried it (and indeed one of the things I love most about the line) is the clean, fresh scent it has; cucumber is the scent I sense first and foremost and instantly makes me feel as though I’ve escaped to a spa. Because I’m often running late and rushing out the door, I typically slap on my skincare as fast as I can, but since I’ve started using Refresh Botanicals, at night I take the time to apply it with care and try to imagine I’m getting a soothing facial as I massage the product into my skin. I know it probably sounds really corny, but those two extra deep cleansing breaths as I do this helps me calm my mind, which is often just set to go, go, go!
So far, my three favourite products include the following (and I’m soon testing out the toner and makeup remover, too).
Refresh Botanicals Daily Facial Moisturizer, 100 mL, $18.99. This product is free of artificial fragrances, oils and alcohols, and is 99.7% natural or naturally derived. I have combination skin, but with the cooler temps now, I thought this might not be hydrating enough for the dry skin I can get, but it’s worked well for me. While it has a light texture that absorbs quickly, it’s still rich enough to keep my skin hydrated.
Refresh Botanicals Intensive Serum, 50 mL, $23.99. This contains fig fruit extract and grape seed oil to help diminish fine lines, and also a proprietary Aquacell complex that includes watermelon, apple and lentil extract, that reduces fine lines within two hours and boosts intracellular water by 85% within two weeks. I doubt it’s apparent to others, but I think I see a subtle difference in my skin’s suppleness (and even if only I can detect it, well, that’s worth it in itself because it makes me feel good from the inside, right?).
Refresh Botanicals Night Restore Complex, 50 mL, $23.99. Like all of the line’s products, this is free of parabens, gluten, petroleum and animal by-products. It feels deliciously cooling going on, and it also boasts the same Aquacell complex as the Intensive Serum. My skin, which often feels parched and tired (because it is…) has definitely had a little boost since I started using this at night.
Oh, and last two things: I like the simple white and green packaging and love that these three products are 100 mL or 50 mL as I can easily travel with them.
I’ll be incorporating a few more of the Refresh Botanicals line into my routine soon. I’m particularly keen on trying the Eye & Face Makeup Remover.
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October 30, 2015
