My Skin Care Secrets

Happy Friday! I am excited to say that I am going to be expanding Sparkling From The Inside Out into a health AND beauty blog! It’s important to me that Sparkling From The Inside Out is constantly evolving and growing. I truly believe that when you feel good, you look good and when you look good, you feel good! Outer beauty starts on the inside, and I want my website to help everyone optimize their natural beauty.  My hope is that with Sparkling From The Inside Out, you will be able to become the very best version of yourself and be the very best YOU, you can possibly be! With that being said, stay tuned for a lot of fun and exciting beauty tips and tricks that not only I use, but also secret tricks that professional make up artists and hairstylists use as well! 

I am kicking off this new endeavor with my all-time favorite skin care products and secrets! 

#1 Face Wash: Obaji.  I have used this face wash for over 13 years.  I had chronic keratosis pilaris growing up so I had to start using face wash at a very young age.  I have tried a lot of different face washes over the years… Clinique, MAC, Neutrogena, Proactive, & Clean and Clear. I have pretty much tried everything at one point or another and I have always resorted back to this one.  I love everything about it but I especially love the way my skin feels after I use it.  I highly recommend this product and in my opinion it’s best to invest a good face wash over anything else.  (my mom has also used this skin care line for YEARS and has beautiful, young skin!) Click HERE for information on Obaji.

#2 Face Lotion: Neutrogena Oil-Free.  I have also used this product for several years.  I have experimented with several other products but I enjoy this one and it’s inexpensive.  You can find it at almost every drug and grocery store.  Neutrogena has a few of the same kind (oil-free) that has sunscreen in it, but I personally do not like those.  I can feel a difference between the ones that have sunscreen and the one that doesn’t, so be on the look out!   Obaji has a face lotion called Vitamin-C that I like a lot too, but it’s pricey and I personally don’t find it necessary to use.  If you are dealing with a chronic skin problem then you may want to check into the Obaji lotion.  Obaji has a fantastic skin care line.  

#3 Juice: drinking just one juice a day can improve your skin.  Your skin is a reflection of your health.  Our liver is detoxing our bodies 24/7.  With all of the chemicals, processed food, sugar, alcohol, pollution, and other junk we put into our bodies, our liver has to work that much harder to cleanse all of those toxic chemicals out.  When the liver is being over worked, it recruits the skin.  There are other reasons that cause skin problems however, adding more natural fruits and veggies into your daily diet can certainly help decrease those issues.  

Juicing has several detoxing and cleansing benefits, but one of the most beneficial things juicing does is clean out the liver.  By cleaning out the liver, you will be able to clean up your skin.  By drinking just one juice a day, you are able to remove some of the toxins built up inside your body.  Fruits and Veggies that help with skin are: Carrots, Pineapple, Kale, Beets, Celery,  Lemon, Apple, and Cucumber.  

Juicing is also very hydrating to your cells and internal organs which reflects positively on your skin.  

#4 Exfoliate:  I like to use these little exfoliating pads about once a week just to make sure I completely remove everything.  I don’t like to exfoliate frequently because it feels too harsh on my skin. I purchase these at target .

#5 Never workout with make up on:  When you sweat, your pores open up so you do not want make up going directly into your pores.  Working out with make up on can cause breakouts.  

#6  Never go to bed with a dirty face: No matter how tired you are at night, always wash your face before going to bed! Our bodies naturally detox every night and it is so important that your pores are clean and clear! 

#7 Zit Cream:  Since I started juicing, I can’t say that I have had one break out.  I haven’t touched my acne cream once in almost two years, but prior to juicing I would break out occasionally and I would use Kate Somerville’s acne cream.  You can purchase this as Sephora.  

#8 Keep it simple:  As much as I want to say that I have all these cool little tricks up my sleeve, the truth is, I don’t.  Since I started juicing, I have been able to keep it really simple when taking care of my skin.  I don’t use foundation… I only use loose powder.  I only do face masks when I randomly have to urge to do so and I don’t spend a lot of money on skin care products.  

As I mentioned earlier, outer beauty starts on the inside.  Rather than investing and spending a ton of money on skin care products, try to invest in what you are putting into your refrigerator and pantry.  Start making small changes, such as incorporating one juice a day into your diet.  Slowly but surely start to expand your intake of natural fruits and veggies and I promise that your body will start to follow! 

XoXo 

Ashley 

For daily tips, tricks, and inspiration follow me on twitter: MissAshleyMoora

or  

On Instagram: ashleynicolemora1 

Happy Birthday Sparkling From The Inside Out

Celebrating one year of Sparkling From The Inside Out! 

Wow! I cannot believe today is Sparkling From The Inside Out's 1 year anniversary!  Today is a special day because not only am I extremely proud of Sparkling From The Inside Out, but today I am also celebrating 2 years of successful weight loss!  Throughout my entire life, I have struggled with weight.  I have never been "naturally thin" and up until 2 years ago, I had never been on a diet that lasted more than a few months.  

When I was 20 years old, I reached my heaviest weight.  I can't pinpoint exactly what caused the weight gain, all I know is that it's all fun and games until nothing in your closet fits you anymore.  I felt so embarrassed.  I would drastically alter my hair color every few months hoping that the change would make feel pretty or in hopes that a new hair color would motivate me to hit the gym.  Weird, I know!  Needless to say, I was not happy.  I didn't feel good... I was tired all the time, I was grumpy, I had constant headaches, my back always hurt, my stomach was always upset.  Something needed to change and the last thing I wanted was to go on another fad diet, lose some weight, and then in a few months gain even more back. 

When I decided to start preparing for Miss NM USA in January of 2013, someone recommended that I go on an all natural diet.  There were no protein shakes involved, no supplements, no low-carb/ high protein, no low fat, no nothing!  This was SO strange to me... I didn't know weight loss was even possible without some sort of shake.  This is how I got introduced to juicing!!!!! I needed to add more natural fruits and veggies to my diet and juicing was the perfect way to do it.  I'm not going to lie, I was skeptical.... Veggies were so not my thing and green drinks looked disgusting.  However, I was desperate for a change and nothing else I had tried before worked so I figured, why not?! 

From the moment I started juicing, the pounds literally started to melt off my body.  For the first time in my life I found something that not only worked, but was also easy, fun, and maintainable!  Today I weigh 40 lbs less than I did when I was 20 years old!  I have been able to maintain a healthy weight and keep the extra pounds off for the first time in my life (celebrating two years today!)  Sure, there have been a few bumps in the road every now and then, but the key to successful weight loss is balance.  When you can find balance while maintaining a new lifestyle, you can achieve anything! 

In the first three months I started juicing, I lost 30 lbs.  I went on to compete in Miss NM USA 2014 at my lowest weight yet. I was proud, I felt good, I was healthy, I was happy, I felt energized, and most importantly I felt like I was radiating.  I felt like I was Sparkling From The Inside Out.  One week later I started my blog in hopes that I could help at least one person feel that sense of accomplishment.  I knew this was one way I could leave my footprint in this world. 

After writing my first blog, my inbox was flooded with questions.  People wanted to know more! So, I continued blogging and sharing my experiences.  After the first few months, I started receiving messages such as, "you have inspired me, I just bought a juicer, I’m starting on Monday, I’ve already lost 5 lbs from juicing, you have motivated me to make a change in my life."  I was so inspired by all of the messages I received.  Throughout the year, I continued to receive messages from people saying that my blog helped them lose all their pregnancy weight, or that they were fitting back into their skinny jeans.  I even had people sharing that their skin and hair was healthier because they had started juicing after reading my blog.  I can't put into words how touched I am to know that I have made a difference, even if it’s a small one.  The best compliment in the entire world is when someone tells me I have motivated them to achieve their goals or that they think that I am inspiration. 

I am proud to have had over 50,000 views in over 35 different countries in one short year. I am now endorsed by Google and my blog has its own website with clean recipes, at-home workouts, and more!  As great as all of that is, I am even more proud of the success stories I have received from people across the world.  There is nothing that brings me greater joy than knowing that I have helped, motivated, or inspired someone.  I can only hope that this year brings even more inspiration and empowerment! 

So thank you all for following along this past year!  Sparkling From The Inside Out wouldn't be a success without all of you!  I wish you all the very best in 2015 and I hope that you make it your healthiest year yet.  When you feel good on the inside, you look good on the outside, which is why I always say, "When you sparkle on the inside, you radiate on the outside!" 

Keep Sparkling!!! 

Xoxo 

Ashley

This is your year to sparkle

As we close out 2014 and embrace a brand new year, I think it's important to talk about New Year’s resolutions. Why are they so important to us aside from the obvious desire of a fresh start? I believe that we make New Year’s resolutions each and every year because we want to make our dreams come true.  Whether your dream is to fit back into your "skinny jeans", run a marathon, become a healthier person, get a promotion at work, or finally make that big move you've always wanted to make, the time is now!  Whatever your goals may be, this is YOUR year to sparkle.  I believe that being successful, in anything we do in life, comes with working hard one day at a time.  What will you do differently this year that will make your dreams become your reality? This blog is my 2015 challenge to you!

Baby steps:

The optimum way to achieve your goals this year is by taking baby steps. Start by making small changes. When you start to make small changes everyday, you can build off of them little by little.  Before you know it, your small change will have become a HUGE change.  One reason that New Year’s resolutions are typically over by February 1st is because we bite off more than we can chew. We make unattainable goals, fail, and then revert back to old habits.  Let's say that in 2015 your goal is to become an overall healthier person.  Well, if you love pasta, bread, pizza, and burgers, cutting EVERYTHING out and going cold turkey is going to send you into a relapse. 

What to do:    

My best advice is to map out the year. Start by eliminating one bad thing from your diet, one month at a time. Let's say you want to limit your bread intake for example. In January, make a conscious decision to only eat gluten-free products. This way you won't feel deprived and you will still be able to enjoy all the bread and pasta your heart desires. Then in February, you may choose to limit the amount of gluten-free products you consume.  Each month, make a new goal while maintaining the resolution of the previous month. 

Every diet works:

Did you know that every "diet" out there works?  Paleo, Atkins, Plant-Based, Herbalife, Weight Watchers, Juicing, etc.  The reason that so many people fail is because rather than adapting a new lifestyle and sticking with it, most are looking for a “quick fix” and when they don't see results after one week, they revert to their old habits and blame the diet.  We MUST change our way of thinking if we want results. You have to accept a new way of living and take baby steps over the next year in order to achieve your goals. 

Plan for set backs:

With anything in life, and especially with weight loss, you are going to experience setbacks. It's an inevitable part of the process. One of my favorite quotes is "life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it".  For example, if you end up pigging out one night unexpectedly, don't let your cheat meal turn into a cheat week. So many people fall off the bandwagon and they are never able to get back up. Food and drugs are alike in so many ways.  Once you "relapse", it can be difficult and discouraging to start again.  I promise you that every change and sacrifice will be worth it. It's hard to see the big picture but this time next year, if you stick with making your baby steps and picking yourself up when you fall... You will be overjoyed on December 31st, 2015! 

Make your dreams come to life:

I’m a firm believer in keeping your visions in front of you at all times. Here are some fun ways you can constantly be reminded of your goals.

Write a letter to yourself, seal it, and open it next year.

Write a list of everything you want to accomplish. Hang it somewhere you can see it everyday.

Make a vision board or vision book.

Change your screen saver to something that inspires you.

Make encouraging music playlists.

Map out your year. Create mini goals. Example: I want to be ____ weight by March 1st. I want to lose another ___ pounds by June 1st. My total weight loss goal for 2015 is ______ .

Plan out your baby steps. Example: my overall goal is to start working out ______ times a week. In January, I will start going _____ times per week. In February, I will add one more day, so on and so forth.

Set up mini rewards. Every time you reach one of your goals, reward yourself with something that will make you happy. Maybe a new pair of jeans, maybe a new dress, or a fancy night out!

Celebrate yourself:

Whether or not 2014 was your year, don't forget to love yourself and show appreciation towards the things you did accomplish. This is not the time to beat yourself up about the things you did wrong, but rather to celebrate the fact that you have the ability to make a change!  There are so many people in the world that are physically and mentally unable to change their state of being due to illness, accidents, and other limitations.  It's so easy to forget how lucky and blessed we truly are.  Celebrate yourself and the changes you are about to embrace and then go out and share your success with the world!

Wishing you all in the best in 2015! 

xoxo 

Ashley 

6 Ways to Survive the Holidays

The temptation to fall off the bandwagon over the holidays is REAL.  Even those who are extremely strict with their diet struggle over the holiday season.  Family is in town, we're busy, and there are delicious holiday treats EVERYWHERE.  Don't let all your hard work this past year go under water over the next month! Here are 5 ways to survive a holiday binge.

1.  Bring your own healthy dish.  Get creative with it.  Bring something that you won't feel guilty eating, but that will also make you feel like you're not missing out.  

2.  Exercise.  This is a tough one because when everyone is in town, it's hard to make time to workout .  I promise that even a 10 minute workout will not only make you feel better but it will also get your blood circulation going which is important to keep your metabolism up.  (not to mention that working out will relieve some stress) 

3.  Fill an entire plate with healthy foods first.  Get full off the healthy stuff first and your chances of cheating will decrease.  

4.  Be assertive.  If someone offers you something that you can't eat, politely decline the offer.  Don't be bullied into eating or drinking something that you are going to regret later on. 

5.  Do some healthy snacking all day before your big party.  It's crucial not to let yourself get hungry when there are so many temptations on the table.  

6.  Take the focus off the food.  Enjoy your time with your loved ones and try to focus on other things going on at the party, other than the food! 

7.  Practice healthy holiday cooking.  

Swap Out: 

Butter for coconut oil 

Regular flour for coconut flour, almond flour, gluten-free flour  

Sugar for apple sauce 

Sugar for Vanilla Extract (this cuts about 400 calories out) 

Sugar for stevia 

Oil for apple sauce 

Butter for avocados 

Oil for bananas 

Eggs for Chia seeds 

Chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips 

Peanut butter for reduced fat peanut butter or almond butter 

Eggs for egg whites 

Bread for Ezekiel, brown rice, or gluten free bread 

Syrup for Coconut Nectar 

These little tricks makes a big difference over time.  You can use this blog as a tool not only for the holidays but for any situation where you will be tempted to cheat! I hope this helps and I hope that you can end 2014 will a bang! 

Xoxo 

Ashley 

For clean recipes for the holidays, Click HERE. 

Tips to Feel Skinnier by the End of the Day

Did you have too much of a good thing over thanksgiving?  Don’t beat yourself up.. we all did!  The best way to bounce back from a weekend of overindulging is to counteract with consuming as many fruits and veggies as possible.  Follow these simple tricks and by the end of the day you will shed some of the bloat!  

Morning: 

Start the day off with 1 glass of fresh lemon, ginger water. 

Take a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning and before all meals.

This will balance your entire body… which after a weekend of eating bad foods, we mostly likely threw our bodies completely out of whack.  Apple cider vinegar not only has detoxing properties but it will also stimulate your digestion and suppress your appetite.  It also regulates the amount of sodium stored in the body.

For breakfast, have a green smoothie or juice (for recipe click HERE) with parsley.  If you are thinking..”ew, no way!” you wont be able to taste the parsley, I promise.  Parsley helps flush fluids from the body and encourages digestion.  Parsley also has several anti-inflammatory properties!

Snack: 

Fill up a big water bottle full of water and aloe vera juice and sip throughout the day, all day long.  The water and the aloe will flush your system.

Tea to sip on throughout the day: 

Green Tea 

Dandelion Root Tea 

Ginger Tea 

Peppermint Tea 

Apple Cider Vinegar with Hot Water 

If you hate drinking tea, you can purchase dandelion root pills.  The pills are actually more potent than the tea which help you lose water weight more quickly.    

Lunch: 

Water Weightloss Juice with Detox Salad & Lemon Dressing 

Juice Recipe: 

juice or purchase fresh, plain cranberry juice. mix with two dandelion root tea bags, lemon juice, and water.  This helps you lose water weight because it breaks down waste and fats during digestion.  

Your detox salad recipe:  2 cups of Kale, 2 cups of purple cabbage, 1/2 cup of parsley, 1 cup of carrots, 1 cup of sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoons of sesame seeds, cherry tomatoes, 1/2 avocado sliced up.  For the dressing, mix 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of olive oil.  Mix in 2 tablespoons of garlic, a dash of salt, a dash of pepper, and a pinch of cayenne.   

Dinner:  

For your last meal, enjoy this delicious detox quinoa & veggie salad.  click HERE for the recipe!

End your day with a relaxing Detox Bath and Smooth Move Tea. 

The bath will help pull out and remove toxins from the body.  The smooth move tea is great if you feel backed up and bloated. You can purchase smooth move tea at most health food stores!

Bath:

5 cups of epsom salt 

2 cups of baking soda 

1 cups of sea salt 

1 tbs of ground ginger 

1 cup of vinegar 

a few drops of oil (lavender, tea tree, orange peel etc.)

XoXo 

Ashley 

For daily tips and recipes, click HERE to follow me on twitter or follow me on instagram at ashleynicolemora1

Reboot Your Immune System

5 smoothie recipes that give your immune system just the boost it needs over winter. 

Banana Orange Smoothie 

1 banana 

2 large carrots 

1 1/2 cups of orange juice 

1 container of plain greek yogurt 

1 teaspoon of cinnamon 

1 cup of ice 

Banana Colada 

1  cup of coconut milk 

1 cup of pineapple 

1/3 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut 

1 banana 

1 cup of ice 

Orange-Raspberry Smoothie 

1 cup of coconut milk 

1 cup of raspberries 

1 banana 

1/2 cup of orange juice 

Cold Kicker 

1 orange 

1 cup of kale 

1 cup of spinach 

1 large carrot 

1 apple 

1 cup of blueberries 

1 beet 

1 cup of ice 

Strawberry-Ginger Smoothie 

1 cup of strawberries 

1 banana 

1 apple

1 cup of coconut milk 

1 inch of ginger 

1 cup of ice 

Place all of these ingredients in a blender and blend! Not to be confused with a juicer.  If you want more information on the difference between juicing and blending, click HERE.

If you prefer fresh juice and not smoothies, click HERE for flu fighting juice recipes! 

XoXo
Ashley 

Let Your Food Be Your Pharmacy

Flu season has officially kicked off! The colds, fevers, runny noses, sore throats, headaches, and congestion are in full swing.  We all know the signs, and who has time to be sick these days?! The good news is, with a few immunity-boosting juice recipes we can fight that winter misery. Don't let the cold catch you!

Immune Enhancer

2 Gala Apples 

5 Carrots 

1 Inch of Ginger 

1 Lemon
(a pinch of cayenne for the daring) 

Wash and properly prep. Place in juicer. Juice!

Big Green Cold Fighting Machine 

1 cup of Spinach 

1 cup of Kale

6 Brussels Sprouts 

1 Jalapeno 

2 Garlic Cloves 

1 Lime 

2 Cucumbers 

Wash and properly prep. Place in juicer. Juice!
 

Orange Sparkler 

1/2 Pineapple 

2 Oranges

1 Lemon 

2oz of Sparkling Water

Wash and properly prep, Place in juicer, Juice, add sparkling water! 

Angry Apple Fizz 

1 inch of Ginger 

1 Pear 

2 Apples 

2oz of Sparkling Water 

Wash and properly prep, Place in juicer, Juice, add sparkling water!

Warm Ginger Tea 

(good for the stomach flu)

2 inches of Ginger 

2 Lemons 

4 cups of boiling water 

 Juice ingredients and then add boiling water

Grab a juice rather than over the counter medicine

If you already have a cold these recipe are also good for easing symptoms.  I highly encourage you to fight flu season the natural way! When you give the body what it needs (fruits and vegetables) you are giving your body the proper fuel to function.  Rather than going to the store and purchasing over-priced, chemically-filled medicine, grab a juice and super-charge your immune system! 

Please keep in mind that these JUICE recipes are designed to juiced in a juicer. If you try and blend these, you will most likely have an overflowing blender! If you prefer smoothies over juice, you are in luck! Stay tuned later this week for flu fighting smoothie recipes.

If you are interested in doing a juice cleanse click here. 

For more juice recipes click here. 

Stay tuned for Flu Fighting Smoothie Recipes!

XoXo 

Ashley 

For daily tips recipes follow me on 

Twitter: MissAshleyMoora 

or  

On Instagram: ashleynicolemora1