May 18, 2018
3 muscle-toning Pilates moves that don't require a reformer, the hairdryer with a 50,000-person waitlist and harnessing the power of ultrasound to help your skincare work better.
3 easy Pilates moves that will help you get bikini ready
The beauty of Pilates is that you can tailor your practice to meet your needs, goals and your schedule. Although I do my best to make it to Club Pilates at least six days a week, you technically don’t need a membership or any equipment to reap the benefits of this muscle-strengthening and lengthening workout. On days when I’m just too jammed to squeeze in a class, all I need is my yoga mat (and possibly a YouTube video) to get my fix—and you can, too!
With summer (and bathing suit season) right around the corner, here are three easy yet effective exercises from Club Pilates’ VP of Education,Tianna Strateman, that will help tone up your abs, back and butt before you step foot on the beach.
Crisscross
This is a full-body variation masked in ab work. The upper and lower half of the body are meant to stay in flexion while they cross back and forth and the center stays glued to the mat. Being careful not to wobble in the belly as you move back and forth five times on each side.
Start with knees to your chest, head lifted, and hands behind your head, with your upper back off the mat.
Engage your abs, and use them to draw your right shoulder towards your left knee as you twist slightly to the left.
As you twist, extend your right leg out at an angle.Switch sides as you breathe, reaching your left shoulder toward your right knee as you twist to the right and extend your left leg.
Repeat for 60 seconds.
Swimming
Swimming is good for you on land, too! This is a tried-and-true exercise for keeping strength in the backside of the body.
Start on your stomach, with your arms extended overhead in front of you
Keep the arms and legs long as they hover over the ground and lift up and down. Be sure to keep your core engaged to protect your back.
Start slow for 10 seconds, then speed up for 10 seconds, and finish off by going as fast as you can for the final 10 seconds. This completes one 30-second rep. Do two reps to complete a set, with a brief break in between reps.
Kneeling Side Kick
Great for toning your lower body while strengthening your upper body, this move creates a great booty burn. Make sure to maintain the stable position of the upper half of your body while the leg follows a precise path, sweeping forward and back, never letting any bumps or dips take over the precise path that leg your travels.
From a kneeling position, tip yourself to the left and allow your left hand to securely land on the floor, directly under the shoulder.
Extend your right leg to hip height, ensuring that the leg is parallel to the floor. Sweep the leg forward and back 10 times, up and down 10 times, and circle 10 times in each direction. This is one cycle.
Repeat for three cycles. Switch legs, and repeat for three cycles on the other side.
You’ll definitely want to pre-order this blowdryer
I may be somewhat obsessed with my hair’s health and growth, but I’m pretty laid back when it comes to styling. I’m lucky that blowing and straightening my hair isn’t a huge undertaking—and that I don’t need to hit the salon for regular blowouts for it to look normal—and that my lifestyle usually allows me to air-dry or wear a headband if I’m not in the mood to deal. This is probably why I’m fine with the flat-iron I’ve had for years, and don’t feel the need to run out and buy the latest and greatest styling tools. There’s a big “but” here, and I blame it on VOLO Beauty’s forthcoming Go Cordless Dryer. Just imagine not getting all tangled up in a cord while drying your hair!
Other major upsides include energy efficiency thanks to a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and super-speedy drying courtesy of infrared light. This energy dries your hair evenly from the inside out (similar to the sun) rather than just heating the air surrounding your hair, which translates to less damage, less frizz and easier styling—and roughly 14 minutes of dry-time per charge.
With an anticipated early-summer launch, the waitlist has already topped 50,000 people, and I can see why. It’s a brave new blow-drying world!
A perfect (and long-lasting) bouquet for Mother’s Day
Still haven’t gotten around to finding the perfect gift for Mom? Sure, you still have plenty of time to place an order with your local florist, but wouldn’t a bouquet of flower-inspired makeup brushes be so much better (and more useful)?
I can’t get over how cute this MODA Brushes Bouquet Kit is… You get a peony powder brush, calla lily contour brush and lotus fan brush—and they’ll last way longer than the five or so days you get from real flowers. To give your gift a little extra oomph, pop them in a chic vase Mom will be excited to display on her vanity.
Give your skin an ultrasonic boost
Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought to yourself, Did my skincare routine stop working? I have, and despite having the luxury of dipping into a sizable stash of new products to try, I often think that another lotion or potion just isn’t going to do it. My first inclination may be to schedule an appointment with my dermatologist, but then I think an at-home tool may able to help—which is why I’m eyeing Mira-Skin’s Ultrasound Activeboost Wand.
No, that's not me.
Before you balk at the $299 price tag, just think that it would probably cost you more to go out and buy an entirely new skincare regimen—and this facial device works with the products you already have. Designed to help active ingredients penetrate deeper into the skin while visibly lifting and firming, this gentle handheld tool delivers one million cycles of micro-air oscillations per second. It also promotes exfoliation, minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, helps reduce puffiness and improve your overall complexion.
While I haven’t tried the Mira-Skin device (yet), I have had the pleasure of experiencing an ultrasound-assisted facial and I’m here to tell you this technology makes a big difference with absolutely no risks or side effects.
So before you go purge your medicine cabinet and start all over from scratch, perhaps you want to make a little room for this beauty-boosting wand.