Friday Favorites: Kym Douglas

Kym Douglas is the ever-popular, Hollywood beauty guru and "blissologist." She is the "go-to" beauty expert for the Ellen DeGeneres Show, a best-selling author, and appears regularly on Home & Family, the Doctors, and Fox Good Day LA.

The Ellen Degeneres show is my "go-to" show. I DVR each episode and watch the following morning while getting ready. Right before Thanksgiving I was watching Ellen and applying my mascara, when suddenly my ears perked up. Ellen had just announced that Kym Douglas would be appearing on that particular day's show to share her DIY beauty tips and tricks. I grew excited, as I, like many Ellen viewers, look forward to Kym's beauty & lifestyle segments the most. 

Like always, Kym delivered the laughs, while also sharing some very useful and affordable beauty tips.Within seconds of her segment, I was uncontrollably laughing along with Ellen as Kym dipped her feet into a pumpkin pie, in order to create a foot scrub "on the go." As Kym listed tip after tip of beauty advice, I frantically tried to make mental notes of all the recipes and I was so eager to learn more blissful tips that later that day I logged onto Amazon and purchased her book: "Bliss Happens." 

Bliss Happens: the six-week plan to a happier, prettier, thinner, and richer life by Kym Douglas
Available for purchase: here

Ever since  I purchased "Bliss Happens", I have embarked on a more blissful life. I have followed every one of Kym's easy to follow tips and have achieved numerous results. From healthier hair to softer skin, every beauty tip has worked wonders and is extremely affordable. In fact, I would estimate that 90% of the products used to make Kym's recipes can be found in your households already.

I believe that when you discover bliss it is something that you want to share with those around you. As a result, I have been sharing Kym's recipes with my friends and family. From preparing my mom a "Rise N'Shine Minty Lime" drink at morning-time to helping a friend combat a pimple just before a New Year's party to setting up a lavender steam for my bestie, I have strived to share Kym's blissful, beauty tips with others. 

"Blissful Baking"
While waiting for the cupcakes to bake with my "bestie" Jackie, I prepared her an ooh-la-la lavendar steam to enjoy.

 When Kym enthusiastically accepted my Friday Favorites' invitation, I was ecstatic to learn even more about this successful and blissful beauty maven and to share her tips with the entire Creatively Lu community. Below is my Q&A with Kym, and lucky for you, you don't have to take mental notes of this...

photo courtesy of the Kym Douglas FB page

• Lu: What is the meaning behind the title Bliss Happens?
• Kym: Some time ago there was a big trend that  people would go around saying well "Sh*T HAPPENS." It was a saying that was thrown about in a way to diffuse a situation in which life throws you a curve ball. People just started accepting and EXPECTING things to go wrong. Well, I wasn't having it…if you  want to look for something….. then for  Pete sake…... look for something positive not Negative. Jay and his team came up with the title and I loved it. It fit perfectly because if Sh*t Happens then so  does Bliss.      

                                  

• Lu: Do you have a favorite DIY beauty tip you would like to share with the Creatively Lu community?
• Kym: I love DIY beauty recipes. I feel we  put so much  chemicals,  additives and synthetic products "IN" and "ON" our bodies that I  always turn to the  DIY first but there is not always the time. Two easy time-saving tips are: #1- I use a coconut oil every  night on my nail beds to moisturize them and I help the nails grow and it makes your manicure last longer & #2- I  cut a lemon in half and  dip it in  sugar as a weekly scrub on my face or elbows and arms. 
• Lu: What is the number one tip you would give to others for finding their bliss?
• Kym: The number one tip I would give to  others about how to find their Bliss is the hardest question you have asked me. We all have our  own version of what BLISS is to us. We all have our  own paths to find it…but desiring BLISS is universal and we all want it in our lives. My advice…when difficulties strike find a loop hole…what could possible happen out of this that  could be working in your favor? Look for the light that could  come down the line. Maybe God DOES know better than you and he is moving something OUT of your life to replace with something bigger and better. Be grateful in ALL things... the good  days and the BAD days. Find something, anything  positive to focus on and focus on that. YOU bring into your life what you focus on…….. what are you thinking about? Lastly, have a goal and dream…... a purpose and pursue it with all your might. God put it in your heart and mind and its there for a reason…... you are the  only one who can get it for your self so go do it…find your Bliss!

Pretty exceptional woman, huh?!  I am also very excited to announce that Kym will be helping Ellen to get ready for the Oscars this March, in which Ellen will be hosting! So look out for another Friday Favorites post on Kym and her beauty adventures with Ellen during Oscars week! Below is your daily dose of inspiration.

Kym Douglas and Ellen Degeneres

 November 2013

*Check out the Kym Douglas website & follow Kym on Twitter, FB, Instagram, & Pinterest. 

Create a blissful Friday! 

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Weekend Adventures: Creating Morning Bliss

This Sunday morning, I woke up feeling overwhelmed by the day ahead. I knew I had a lot of things in which I needed to get done today and anxiously wondered where I should even begin. So what did I do first? I laid in bed, spending a few more moments before reality was forced to strike. I lazily began to scroll down my Twitter Feed, where I came across an article from Mind Body Green titled; "5 Life-Changing Ways to Start Your Day."

 Now it is rare that I ever click on a link to an article on Twitter, but I clicked on this one. I knew that this article would serve as a reality check for just how much my "not so great" morning habits were impacting my day. 

To be honest, when I awake each morning and instinctively grab my phone, I get a subconscious feeling that this is not my best choice for starting my day. But because of habit, I have ignored it.  The article, however, did not:

So what happens when we fill this soft, vulnerable time with the loud sounds of the electronic world? And I'm not talking only about literal sound. I'm referring to the soundless chatter that emanates from scrolling through Facebook and absorbing the images and words of other people's lives; the silent cry of news stories that scream the latest tragic headlines onto your screen; the boiling up of feeling that churns from reading a friend's response to the email you sent last night; the rise and fall of self-esteem as you learn about news from work.

As we awake from our sleep, we are in our most vulnerable state. Therefore, by  beginning each day by scrolling through my Newsfeed on Facebook, for example,  whatever comments I am reading are the first words that break the silence between sleep and starting my day. 

From this day forward I plan to break the morning silence with feel good vibes. This is not some major declaration that I will rid myself of the smartphone. In fact, I would be lying to you if I said I didn’t check my email over breakfast. But what I do plan to do from now is begin each day with an energizing, "feel good" music playlist, rather than by reading a political rant on Facebook. 

The same effort can be made towards your morning commute. How do you spend your time headed to work? Is it by blasting angry talk radio? Or maybe you spend your morning drive by returning phone calls that you don't really want to return? Or perhaps you are you catching up with your bestie, while she tells you about her horrible date she had last night (I'm sure I have negatively impacted someone's morning with this phone call in the past. Sorry Jackie!) 

I thoroughly believe that music can create the most positive vibes towards your day. For nearly two years, I taught a 5am spinning class at the gym, and my class continued to come back each Monday (Yup, MONDAYS!) for the awakening, feel good music playlist.

And so I have created an energizing and blissful morning playlist for you to break the silence between sleep and your day

I have arranged the playlist, so that it doesn't "shock you." It begins with some calming/feel good type of music and then slowly heads into some faster, uplifting beats. From Hall and Oates to Nappy Roots to B.o.B, I think there is a little something on there for everyone. Not to mention, its includes two past Friday Favorites: Ashley Sofia and J.Lye, who are pretty fly. 

Spotify Playlist: Morning Drive
Account #1244030766 (Lindsay Opper)

Create a great weekend everyone! Below is a daily dose of inspiration in honor of starting your workweek with a good mindset tomorrow morning. 

Photo Courtesy of:Tory Stone

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