To start, gather your ingredients:
Once you've got everything you need, it's time to get blending. Start by adding the frozen banana to your blender, followed by the almond milk, almond butter, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and finally the protein powder.
Blend everything together until smooth and creamy, then pour your smoothie into a bowl. Now it's time for the fun part: adding your toppings!
We suggest starting with a handful of fresh berries, like sliced strawberries or raspberries, for a burst of fruity flavor. Next, sprinkle on some chopped nuts (we love almonds or hazelnuts for their rich, nutty taste), and finish things off with a sprinkle of coconut flakes for a little tropical flair.
Not only is this chocolate protein smoothie bowl delicious and satisfying, but it's also packed with the nutrients your body needs to build and repair muscle after a workout. And because it's vegan, it's also a great option for anyone looking to eat more plant-based foods and reduce their environmental impact.
Why? On average, life expectancy for men is six years shorter than for women. Testicular cancer is the most prevalent cancer amongst younger men, and Prostate cancer affects one in every nine men over the course of their lives, and the number of these cases is expected to almost by 2030. When it comes to mental health, it’s estimated that one man dies of suicide every minute of every day.
Ultimately, the aim of the movement is to encourage men to take more of an active role in monitoring their physical and mental health. So, what can we do to participate and support this cause? In addition to growing a ‘mo’ and donating to the official Movember registered charity, we can simply encourage the men in our lives to lead healthy, active, and mindful lifestyles. Here are 5 products we love that can support men's health.
https://powderbeauty.com/collections/men/products/sunkiss-for-men-unscented-mineral-sunscreen-spf-30
Sun protection is a wellness essential for men and women alike, and this locally produced mineral sunscreen is designed for men. Offering broad-spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays, it’s both water and sweat proof, and fragrance-free.
https://powderbeauty.com/collections/supplements/products/moon-juice-superyou-adaptogen-supplement
Adaptogens, traditionally used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, do exactly what it sounds like: they help your body adapt to stress. This supplement boosts wellbeing by working to minimise the physical, mental, and emotional fatigue associated with stress, along with helping to regulate moods and managing stress-related weight gain.
https://powderbeauty.com/collections/supplements/products/the-nue-co-prebiotic-probiotic
The more that scientists learn about the human body, the more we discover that general health begins with gut health. This probiotic supplement blend helps keep your gut perfectly balanced, which in turn promotes healthy digestion and a strong immune system.
Men can dry brush too! This ancient wellness rituals energizes the body by stimulating blood flow and lymphatic drainage, while also gently exfoliating the skin.
https://powderbeauty.com/collections/lifestyle-and-gifts/products/antioxidant-body-wash
Everybody loves a sensory bathing experience that leaves your skin clean, refreshed and thoroughly hydrated – men included. This unisex, antioxidant-rich body wash is packed with ingredients that nourish and revitalise the skin.
Our daily nutrition is top of the list for a reason. Feeding our body with nutrient-dense and nourishing wholefoods is amazing for our energy levels, hormones and overall health. While living in an on-demand society where food is ready at our door within 30min, it can be tempting to order at the touch of a button. However, takeaway food often contains pre-packaged ingredients, unhealthy oils and methods of cooking, as well as lower nutritional value while being more costly in the long run. While the ease and flexibility are there (and sometimes that’s a necessity), there is lots of fun and therapy involved in cooking for yourself. Eating healthily doesn’t have to be restrictive, there are plenty of delicious, easy wholefoods recipes to follow that can cater to all dietary requirements. We are loving Dubai-based fitness trainer Baraa El Sabbagh free recipe e-book full of indulgent wholesome healthy dishes!
All forms of movement whether it’s dancing, cardio, pilates and especially walking, have scientifically proven benefits for both the body and mind. When we move our bodies through physical activity we stimulate the lymphatic system, which is our primary immune-fighting system that supports all other organs in their processes. Physical movement also releases endorphins, our happy hormones, and gives us a break in the day from work and tasks. A minute of movement is better than no movement at all! We are loving Shahad Nazer for her beautiful aesthetic and tips on Yoga as well as her meaningful affirmations.
With a world of information at our fingertips, it seems as if we are always on-the-go and overloading our brains with constant stimulation. Whether it's from work, social activities and especially technology, we just never seem to stop. This creates a flight or fight response in the body which eventually becomes our consistent state of being. While we may feel we have the capacity to tick all the boxes, often times more than not, we are just living in survival mode. The reason this is not a good thing is because out flight or fight response is only meant to be activated in a moment of danger or threat. This increases our adrenaline and gives us a false sense of energy. As our bodies work as a whole, then every other system in the body gets affected. Ways we can change this is by allowing and giving ourselves permission to slow down and be present
Powder’s recommendations to implement this month - Take it easy, slow down and enjoy the process!
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Self-care is the ultimate expression of truly loving yourself. It can present itself in a number of ways through personal boundaries, physical activity, self-development and spiritual growth. It’s a multi-dimensional, broad-spectrum approach to living a life that is vital to your emotional, mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Renowned psychologist Sanam Hafeez explains how beauty self-care can be both soothing and calming, “On a deeper level, it makes you feel like you’re honouring yourself aesthetically, by taking time out for yourself. Those few minutes, if spent going through the steps in a rhythmic, calm, and purposeful manner, can almost be meditative.” We look at some celebrities who reach the leader board in ultimate beauty self-care.
A Worthy Skin Care Routine: Frank Ocean
Renowned singer and award-winning artist, Frank Ocean swears by his daily ritualistic skin care routine to keep him feeling confident. Although in his early 30’s and looking no older than 19, Ocean is probably one of the most committed male skincare addicts out here, as quoted in GQ “I need the night cream because when I wake up, I feel very beautiful, moisturised, and ready to have people making eye contact with me. That’s the life hack right there.” Shop all of Powder’s obsession worthy skincare right here.
Purposeful Dry Body Brushing: Gwyneth Paltrow
Probably the most efficient, and purse-friendly, way to stimulate your lymphatic system and reduce cellulite, dry body brushing is definitely up there with mastering self-care. Dry brushing should be done pre-shower and according to Paltrow “It's an amazing way to exfoliate your body. You take the dry brush and, starting at your feet and working up, sweep it all over your body in light, firm strokes, always brushing toward your heart. It's fantastic for circulation and it helps smooth cellulite. I do it every night before I get in the bath.” We are sold Gwenny, you had us at 'amazing'! Shop the most-wanted body brush here at Powder.
Body Self Maintenance: Serena Williams
A body care routine that ticks all the boxes, Williams is an advocate of regular exercise, no big feat for the tennis champion, coupled with nourishing oils to keep her skin supple and her mind centred. “I think self-care is very important to prioritize in life. When you make time for yourself, you feel like the best version of you and that extends into other facets of life. My self-care routine varies — whether I’m trying a new product or staying loyal to my feel-good classics like coconut oil, I always carve out moments to tend to myself and nurture my body.” No debate here, we love those precious stolen moments lathering indulgent oils all over. You can find our range of luxury body oils to pamper your skin, and mind, here.
Nourishing your body: Jennifer Aniston
All hail the queen of self-care, Jennifer Aniston. From journalling and meditation, to yoga and breath-work, queen Aniston has stolen the number one spot. Aniston swears by a nourishing her body internally just as much as externally. Growing up with a super-strict health fanatic mother, she said “It was no fun to come to my house because it was all cardboard-tasting foods. When I moved out, my big rebellion was to stock my fridge with food that had taste–I bought every cereal I’d ever wanted and other crap. Eventually, I started to feel like crap. I went to a nutritionist and realised that my mom had been doing me a favour. I committed to being mindful of what I put into my body.” A big advocate of natural supplements and clean protein powders, she focuses on maintaining a good balance to keep her feeling and looking amazing at 53! Shop our range of Aniston-worthy clean supplements and protein powder here.
Common detox symptoms can include anything from mood swings, hunger pangs, intense cravings, fatigue and brain fog. This is the body’s way of telling us that it is cleansing, repairing and regenerating. Scientifically fasting for 30 consecutive days has the below proven benefits:
There are ways in which we can support ourselves through the month of Ramadan to keep a beautiful balance for our mind, body and spirit. Keeping our eating habits healthy, our glucose levels stable and not overeating all contribute to a calmer state. Here we’ve listed our top tips and tricks!
Hydration is key when breaking the fast. Starting off with a large glass of warm water (ideally 500ml), adding a squeeze of fresh lemon/lime for additional hydration and a pinch of Himalayan Salt for a mini dose of minerals. Taking your time to sip your drink to allow your stomach to begin its functioning.
The period of prayer and meditation right after breaking the fast is a great time to allow the digestion system to wake up to get ready for the meal ahead. There’s no rush! Take your time, allow your body and mind the time to reflect on the fasting day past and how you felt throughout the day. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect to yourself.
When it comes to eating your first meal after a long day of fasting it’s always beneficial to start small and slow. Its proven that consuming a liquid dish first allows the body to accommodate the intake of foods for the night ahead without being overloaded. This could look like a bowl of broth (Vegetable or bone broth), green juice or protein shake, all which are full of nutrients. After which if you still feel hungry you can go straight for the main dishes keeping in mind not to overeat. The night is young and there is plenty of time to have your main meal slightly later! If you do choose to eat a big meal straight away, it’s always good to start off with veggies/salads first to keep those glucose levels in check. (Fried and sugary foods are best avoided)
Eating every so often throughout the night can impact our digestive systems and the body’s ability to keep balanced in it’s regeneration process. Try to keep a generous gap between your Iftar and Suhoor meals to give the body the opportunity to rest and digest. This will allow for better absorption of nutrients, keep your bowels moving effectively and healthier sleep patterns. Focus on hydrating! Often we feel hungry when in actual fact we are thirsty! For Suhoor try to have your meal at least 2hrs before going back to sleep, keeping the meal light and easy digestible but also energy balancing for the day ahead.
Keeping active during Ramadan is a great way to balance the mind and body. Gentle exercises such as Pilates, Yoga and Walking are great for keeping the body active without over straining.
Supplement are a great way to support the body through the fasting month. Taking them at night with your meal is the best way to ensure optimal absorption and also not irritate your gut lining. Some of our top picks to keep the body and mind balanced as well as support you looking and feeling amazing can be found here.
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Lockdown living has become the new norm for many of us around the globe, with social distancing likely to continue for the foreseeable future. It can feel increasingly difficult to focus on staying positive but in the spirit of silver linings, quarantine life is a great opportunity to step up your beauty game. We’re talking about making those time-consuming beauty investments that you’ve always wanted to try in theory but never had the time (or the privacy, because things don’t always go to plan) for. Well, the time has now come so line up those #throwbacks and commit to making-over your beauty routine:
Trying new skincare products can be a little risky if you have sensitive skin or have suffered from adverse reactions in the past. This is an ideal time to try all the products you’ve been coveting from afar (not all at once!) particularly those formulated with actives such as retinol, acids or vitamin C. These types of products often lead to temporary side-effects such as peeling, dryness or breakouts, which fade as your skin adjusts. Retinoids are particularly notorious for their adjustment period and if you’ve always wanted to step up your anti-ageing routine but didn’t have 6 – 8 weeks, now’s the time.
You may already be thinking about making some long-term changes to live a cleaner lifestyle, and avoiding the preservatives and aluminium in deodorant could be one of them. We are going to be honest - it can be a little painful.
Natural deodorants do just that – remove odor. ‘Regular’ deodorants are often also antiperspirants, which work to inhibit sweat by plugging your pores, usually with aluminium salts. Sweat is actually odorless, and body odor occurs as a result of bacteria breaking down on your skin. Deodorants allow your body to sweat but target this bacteria, usually alongside masking it with a particular scent. When you stop using an antiperspirant and switch to a natural deodorant, you’ll not only feel sweatier but will likely also experience an increase in odor as your sweat glands will be purging years of trapped toxins and bacteria. Don’t give up! It’s a temporary phase and your body will eventually re-balance as the bacteria subsides and moisture levels decrease. This whole process may take up to 30 days so lockdown is an ideal time to start (maybe not for your family or housemates).
Just like our armpits, our scalps may need a break from the potentially harmful chemicals they’re bombarded with daily. And just like with our armpits, the journey can be rough.
Most conventional shampoos are formulated with foaming agents, such as sulfates, which work to create the rich lather we associate with feeling clean. Unfortunately, this lather can also strip your hair and sensitive scalp area of their natural oils, leading to dryness, itching and a rough hair texture. In addition to the wellness benefits, switching to ‘clean’ haircare can actually make your hair look and feel much stronger and healthier in the long term, but may require a detox period. Your hair may over-produce oil for a period of time – around two weeks – until it rebalances.
Not only is the lockdown an ideal break from heat styling, it’s also a great time to treat yourself to some serious deep conditioning (should we be calling it a lockdown? Too much? Are we losing it?) Grab your favourite mask or treatment, apply to freshly washed damp hair and leave on for a few hours if not all day. When you’re done, lightly shampoo before sealing with a conditioner for best results. If you don’t have any hair masks to hand, substitute with coconut or olive oil before washing and voila! Soft, silky hair you can’t stop admiring. It is possible to over-do it, however, so we don’t recommend this type of deep-conditioning more than once a week to avoid build-up.
We love makeup. It enhances your best features, lets you have fun, and makes you feel confident and ready to face the world. It’s incredibly addictive. We also haven’t worn any for weeks now and are starting to like it! In the beginning, it felt strange, but over time our natural features become more comfortable, familiar and beautiful. This doesn’t mean that when this experience is behind us, we won’t be wearing and enjoying our makeup again. We may just appreciate what's underneath a little more.
]]>Getting your beauty sleep
We are constantly reminded about the importance of getting a good night’s rest however with our busy schedules this sometimes just doesn’t happen. There seems to be a million things that keep us from getting our solid eight hours (looking at you, Netflix) but now with more time at home, we hopefully have that chance. Not getting enough sleep can have detrimental effects on our skin and general health, not to mention compromising our immune systems. Besides feeling cranky, a lack of shut-eye can dehydrate the skin, lead to breakouts, and those dreaded dark circles. A good night’s sleep can also do wonders when it comes to slowing down the appearance of fine lines and loose skin, as sleep is necessary to maintain collagen and skin elasticity.
Practicing skincare as a ritual
If you have never had the time to truly enjoy your morning and evening skincare regime, now is the time to do so. The truth is, even if you have the best skincare products in the world, if you are applying them incorrectly, you are essentially wasting your time and money. So start making the most out of your beloved (or neglected) products today. The rule of thumb is simple, apply your skincare from the thinnest to the thickest in consistency, and wait a couple of minutes in between for proper absorption. Following your favourite cleanser, apply your toner then serums and give them enough time to sink in. From there, you can proceed to your moisturisers and oils.
Drinking enough water
We all know that drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day is essential for our health, but how many of us can sometimes go almost a full day before the dreaded realisation that we haven't had any water? So instead of trying to make up your 8 glasses close to bedtime, which is not ideal as it disturbs your sleep, make the conscious decision to sip throughout the day to stay hydrated. It's easier than ever when you're at home as you can monitor your intake.
Letting go of excuses not to exercise
Let the recent gym and park closures remind us how fortunate we are that we have access to workout instruction online anywhere, anytime, and it's time to take advantage of them! If you already workout regularly, it's more than likely that your gym is streaming workouts during this period, which you can keep up with in the comfort of your home.
Kicking picking to the curb
If you're a frequent picker, you don't need us to tell you to stop. But seriously, it's time to stop. Not only does picking damage your skin, slow down healing and leave unsightly red marks that take forever to fade, there's now the added risk that touching your face will expose you to potentially harmful germs. It's time to use this incentive to make a commitment to keeping your hands away from your face!
Making the most of masks
Nothing feels more like you’re really taking care of yourself than applying a mask. They are easy to use, affordable, instantly make you feel relaxed, and can be genuinely effective in the short term, working to hydrate, soothe and bestow the glow! However, being a multi-masker can take some practise and this is the perfect time. Once you get into the rhythm of masking, it becomes second nature, and you can be doing anything from cooking, cleaning, reading or watching TV. You now can enjoy the experience in its full glory without scaring the delivery person.
]]>Gone are the days when being a conscious consumer meant waving a heart-breaking goodbye to all those chic, exciting and beautifully-packaged products your heart desires. Luxuriously-formulated organic, vegan and cruelty-free products are more available and accessible than ever before. However, it can still be overwhelming and expensive to make a full commitment to clean and green self-care. Here are our recommendations for making the transition to non-toxic beauty as easy as possible:
If your objective to is to reduce the toxins being absorbed directly into your skin, consider that the majority of your skin is on your body, not your face! With that in mind, the fastest, easiest and most effective change you can make to reduce the toxins in your routine is through using organic body products.
Regardless of where you stand when it comes to the debate on chemical sunscreen, we can all agree on one thing; in our climate here in the UAE, you need sun protection and you need it daily. Luckily, we now have access to skin-friendly broad-spectrum options to choose from! Try an organic mineral sunscreen on your face and body to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays while staying clean and responsible.
Think about it, you can’t fully avoid eating the products you wear on your lips (and all the artificial pigments and chemicals they’re usually made of). If you are going to invest in organic make-up or skincare, prioritise your lips.
Every chemical or product that touches your skin has an impact, to a lesser or greater extent but if you want to clean up your act but don’t want to hurt your wallet, focus on products which stay on your skin. This means prioritizing your moisturizer or serum over your cleanser. We fully-advocate using a milder cleanser with a ‘cleaner’ list of ingredients where possible but if you must choose, choose the products that don’t wash off.
There are so many harsh, harmful chemicals in most haircare products and these absorb very easily through the sensitive skin on your scalp. Treat it with love and nourish it with organic formulas which soothe and repair as they cleanse.
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This year, Ramadan has arrived in one of the hottest months of summer, so we need to prepare and adapt our self-care routines to ensure our skin doesn’t suffer. The change in our diet and lower water intake can cause our skin to lose moisture and appear dull and dry. A proper skincare routine is therefore essential for those of us who want to maintain elasticity whilst avoiding breakouts and dryness, all of which often stem from with dehydration.
Water really is the holy grail when it comes to skincare. Make sure you drink plenty of water and natural fresh juices as your break your fast. Your skin and body will need some extra help to stay hydrated and supple and increasing your water intake will brighten, heal and prevent breakouts. Water-rich foods like watermelon, grapefruit, celery and cucumber are also a good idea, as is avoiding carbonated or sugary beverages like soda, artificial sugary juices and caffeine.
You can sheet mask anytime - you can even carry sheet masks in your purse and mask on the go! Masks are a great way to get your daily dose of moisture and nourishment for healthy, glowing skin with superb hydrating properties.
In addition to drinking less water, we are subject to more air-conditioning, leaving our skin feeling like the Sahara. You can give your skin a hydrating boost with Hyaluronic Acid. Holding up to 1,000 times its weight in moisture, Hyaluronic Acid has a plumping effect on the skin, replenishes it and protects against ageing.
Oils can be intensely nourishing and balancing for the skin and can create a barrier against excess moisture loss. You can start your day by patting a few drops of natural oils, suited to your skin type, onto your skin between your toner/serum and your moisturizer for the perfect hydrated base.
This one might seem like a no-brainer but try to walk in the shade wherever possible and never forget your sunscreen. The long fasting hours, hot and humid weather and lack of fluid can also lead to chapped lips so invest in a SPF lip conditioner to protect your lips.
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