The Luxi Look | LA based fashion and lifestyle blog

By Amy Zhang July 14, 2017 in Beauty 6 Comments

Get an All Natural Glow – What is Organic Spray Tan All About?

There’s nothing better than a good tan. I’ve tried accepting my pale skin, but a little sun-kissed glow is flattering on basically everyone. With that said, I do my best to avoid too much sun because, well, wrinkles. The older I get, the more I take skincare seriously. Luckily, sunless tanning has come a long way. There’s nothing better than a good, all natural spray tan. If you’re thinking of the Friends episode where Ross gets a spray tan (too funny!), you don’t need to worry. There are safe, non-orange, organic spray tan options available on the market now. If you’re wondering what is organic spray tan, read on for a little interview I did with LA based spray tan queen, Valerie Mya of On the Go Glow. So, let’s get right into it!

Get an All Natural Glow – What is Organic Spray Tan All About?

Hi!! Introduce yourself and your business.

Hey everyone! I’m Valerie Mya, the CEO & Founder of On The Go Glow. We are an organic mobile spray tanning company. We come to you in the comfort of your home, office or hotel. Open 24/7!

**What inspired you to start On the Go Glow?**

I’ve always loved being tan – I mean who doesn’t? – but as I got older I knew I had to get tan a healthy way. No more sun, no more tanning beds. I disliked a lot of the spray tans on the market because of the chemicals in the solution and the not so natural color. I also knew the experience of going to a salon and standing naked, in a cold uncomfortable room, didn’t sound appealing.

The idea of having convenience, comfort, and an organic solution was my plan. On The Go Glow was born. I now get inspired everyday when we make people feel comfortable in their own skin. The confidence a spray tan gives someone is remarkable. I was inspired to start On The Go Glow from my own desire to feel confident. I didn’t realize how rewarding it would be to give that to others.

Why should you get an ORGANIC spray tan?

Everything we eat or products we put on our skin absorb into our body. A spray tan covers all of your skin – so organic is the only way to go! The difference is pretty simple: non organic solutions have chemicals.

Why is organic better?

Would you drink chemicals? I didn’t think so. Your pores drink everything you put on it. That is why organic is better.

I really, really don’t want to look orange – what do I do/say when I get a spray tan?

The worry everyone has and the question I always get, and I totally get it. Most chemical base solutions you just have to hope have natural pigmentation. So yet another reason to go organic. If it is an organic solution, you want to make sure ‘beets’ or ‘carrots’ are not in the solution. That causes a red/orange pigmentation which causes the orange look you’re not wanting. Our signature solution is made of brown sugar from apples, giving you that brown look.

What’s the best way to prep for a spray tan?

Make sure to have nothing on your skin. No lotion, makeup, deodorant. It is best to exfoliate to get off any dead skin. Really scrub any dry areas – feet, knees, elbows. Shave. We recommend shaving at least an hour before your appointment. Run cold water to close your pores if you can’t shave. Do waxing and manicures/pedicures before your spray tan.

Any tips for making the spray tan last longer?

Our solution lasts 7-10 days. The main after care is to lotion. This locks in the solution. Other tips to prolong the spray tan – take quicker showers, don’t use super hot water, and obviously no scrubbing.

Are spray tans safe?

Spray tans are the safe way to get a tan, but ask for organic.

How often can you get a spray tan?

As often as you like! We have clients who do it every week, every other week, or just for special occasions. Just depends on how consistent your want your tan. I usually recommend at least waiting a week in-between tans so your not laying solution on top of solution causing too much build up.

Any other skincare tips and tricks you have up your sleeve?
We have our secret tricks we do while spraying to give the most natural look. But for the clients, a great tip if you’re wanting to get sprayed and go out, use baby power or face powder and put it in the creases (where your knees & arms bend etc.). This stops the solution from rubbing while its developing.

What are your favorite at home tanning products for girls that want to DIY?

Most at home spray tans can be tricky! My tip is to get something that is in an aerosol can. They come out more even, less likely to have streaks. St. Tropez has a great aerosol at home tanning product.

**What’s next for On the Go Glow?**

We are expanding! On The Go Glow was started in Los Angeles 2013. We opened in Las Vegas October 2016 and now opening in San Francisco Sept 2017. We hope to continue to grow in other cities and boost confidence in women and men!

Will be sharing more sunless tan tips and tricks as the summer continues!

Finally, LA ladies – be sure to check out On the Go Glow for the most convenient organic spray tan you can get (seriously, nothing better than a spray tan that comes to you!).

xx, Amy

By Amy Zhang July 12, 2017 in Style 4 Comments

Perfect Straw Bags for Summer

If there’s one accessory you need this season, it’s a natural or straw bag. If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you’ll know my favorites have been this round straw bag and this Cult Gaia bag (not technically straw, but the natural wood color goes with everything!). My summer outfits tend to be more throw on and go, so these casual bags work well because they go with everything. Oh, and most are under or around $100 – which you really can’t beat. Here are some of the perfect straw bags for summer I found online.

Straw Bags for Summer Outfit

Tulum Straw Basket

florabella fringe tote

Giselle Ilaria cream straw bag

I can’t get enough of these multi purpose straw totes. I saw every French woman in Nice carrying one at the market – practical and also very chic! You can find cute options online, but if you want something a little more budget conscious check out your local markets or vintage shops. A straw bag doesn’t have to be fancy!

“Beach Please” straw tote

Natural round tote bag

Straw tote

Beach day essentials – throw a suit, towel, and sunscreen in and you’re ready to go. Pack a picnic in them as well.

Sun, Surf, Sand, Repeat

Round straw bag

White beach tote

Ditch the heavy designer bags and choose something lightweight and functional for the summer. You can’t go wrong with a straw tote and there’s a variety of high to low options for every style and budget. I’m thinking a beach day needs to be thrown into the mix soon (with lots and lots of SPF, of course!). Are you rocking a straw bag this summer? Any other beach day essentials you’re loving?

By Amy Zhang July 10, 2017 in Style 9 Comments

Line I Love: Sticks + Stones

When it comes to jewelry, I’m usually a gold and dainty kind of girl. It works for me. However, Sticks + Stones has really changed my stance on this. The pieces are the opposite of what I usually wear – very bold and silver – but they’ve been a welcome addition in my jewelry collection and surprisingly versatile. After all, it’s important to mix it up, you know?!

Sticks + Stones makes the perfect festival accessories (loved these statement necklaces for Coachella!) but they also work for everyday (especially if you love rocking a minimal / neutral look).

The bags are also to die for – so well made and unique!

The owner, Lindsay is the sweetest girl and comes from an impressive design background at Urban Outfitters. She puts so much time and love into her line, it’s really inspired me to work harder at everything I do and take more risks with my style.

My favorite piece in her collection is the Leela backpack. I carry mine with me all the time and get so many compliments on it. If you’re not rocking a backpack, you really should be. It was a total lifesaver on my recent trip in Europe as well!

Anyway, I recently shot some photos with my friend and photographer, Jordan, for Sticks + Stones and just had to share! Every piece is so well made and different, which I absolutely love. Be sure to check out Sticks + Stones if you haven’t already, the new collection is going to be insane.

On that note – I’m SO happy to be back in LA, back to blogging (missed you guys!!), and slowly getting over jetlag. I read online that it takes a day for every hour you need to adjust – pretty crazy, right?! Stay tuned for more fashion and WELLNESS posts. Can’t wait to share!

xx

By Amy Zhang July 7, 2017 in Fitness 6 Comments

Why Foam Rolling is the Best Thing Ever

When it comes to working out, lately I’ve been all about getting the most bang for my buck. I’ve been opting for higher intensity workouts over my usual pilates and yoga. Incorporating more sprints has been a welcome change in my routine (and body!), but unfortunately led to my very pesky IT band flaring up, leading to knee pain after my workouts. What’s a girl to do?! Luckily, I got really into foam rolling and it has been a tremendous lifesaver.

Foam rolling is something that’s been around for awhile now. I only recently decided I really wanted to take a deeper look into it. If you aren’t sure what foam rolling is, it’s incorporating an actual foam roll into your workout routine, but the real benefits of foam rolling come from the massage you get by using it. Here’s some of the research and other information I found on the benefits in case you’re interested, too!

How do you foam roll?

The most common way to use a foam roller is with your calves (which can get sore easily and from a lot of workouts). Place it under your calf and slowly roll from your knee to ankle. Then, with the roller under your right leg, your left leg bent and your left ankle crossed over the right, slowly roll again. It’s important to go really slow. You can even let the roller sit under any areas that are extremely sore/tight for up to 30 seconds.

It’s a really simple movement and can also be done with your thighs and arms. Seems simple enough, right?

My favorite is using it on my IT band – your IT band, or iliotibial band, is the ligament that runs from your pelvic bone (hips) all the way down to your shins. This band helps rotate your helps as well as stabilize your knee – when you hear of runner’s knee or IT band syndrome, we’re talking about this part of your body. Foam rolling has done wonders for helping massage my IT band, allowing me to run longer and faster.

Why is the massage from foam rolling so beneficial?

The benefits from foam rolling are all about the mobility of the fascia. What is fascia? It’s a fibrous layer of connective tissue that surrounds the muscles in our body. If the fascia doesn’t have mobility, its fibers become linked and fuse to the muscles and nerves, which prevents normal motion and will cause pain.

That was a lot of science and complicated information, but when you break it down, it does make sense! The main takeaway is that foam rollers help to massage your fascia to keep it from binding to your muscles and nerves. And it’s essential to a healthy body because if the fascia does bind, it can cause constant pain. No thanks!

Foam rolling is also a smart way to loosen your muscles and treat knots that cause muscular pain. Of course you should always see a doctor if you have any health concerns, but you can definitely use foam rolling as a way to treat your body to a massage after a workout – without having to pay a masseuse. It’s especially cool if you’re training for a marathon or doing something constantly challenging.

How often should I foam roll?

Foam rolling isn’t something you need to do for hours to feel the results. Some experts recommend doing it for just a few minutes each day, or up to 15. I do it for around 2-3 minutes everyday, focusing on the spots that are a little more tender or sore. You should look at it as something to help you (and your body) relax, not as work! And, a good foam roller can be found for under $20 – so it’s really a no brainer.

I hope this was helpful and gave you some new info on something that is so good for your body. If you’ve foam rolled before, I want to hear from you and all about your experience!

By Amy Zhang June 29, 2017 in Style 12 Comments

Good For Your Body AND Mind – How Does Exercise Help Your Brain?

How Does Exercise Help Your Brain? | by The Luxi Look

I’ve been a longtime fan of working out as a means to blow off steam, clear my head, and obviously stay in shape, but something I’ve recently become more aware of is how exercise helps your brain. I knew exercise was good for fending off anxiety and stress – and have felt those payoffs, but I hadn’t considered it actually improving my brain. Which I’m obviously all for!

After hearing a gym instructor hint at the fact, I started researching “does exercise help your brain” and was left with pretty much endless articles on the subject. Apparently the habit of fitness was doing a lot more for my mind than I knew, and definitely more than keeping my abs tight.

Since I’m all about finding and sharing motivation surrounding fitness – pretty sure we can all agree that it’s not always the easiest thing to commit to – I wanted to share some of the research I found.

How does exercise help your brain?

+ It’s a mood booster. Probably one of the biggest payoffs of exercise, in my opinion, especially when I find myself in a funk. Every time you get that heart rate pumping, your brain increases production of serotonin. Serotonin can act as a natural antidepressant, which means all those fitness classes are paying off in more ways than getting you toned. Remember Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde? “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t kill their husbands. They just don’t.”

+ Disease prevention. There’s research out there that says those who exercise regularly may be at a lesser risk for brain-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s, or at least delay its effects. Another way to keep your brain active and making new connections to improve its overall health is mental exercise – which is an additional reason why I like to switch up my routine. It challenges my body and mind at the same time.

+ Sharper memory. Exercise is excellent to help prevent Alzheimer’s, but it can also keep your memory sharp in the meantime. Good news for those of us that don’t enjoy doing Sudoku or crossword puzzles! The way science says this works goes like this – when you exercise, blood flow to the brain increases, and that blood delivers oxygen and nutrients. The extra boost of oxygen and nutrients increases cognitive function and memory gets that much better. As someone who doesn’t always have the best memory, this is an extremely appealing motivator.

+ Clearer mind. This I already knew, but it’s such an important fact that it’s worth mentioning. Along with that boost in cognitive function from the increased blood flow giving your brain all those amazing nutrients is a clear mind. You know when you just feel foggy and maybe can’t focus? Chances are if you start a consistent exercise routine that fogginess will clear up pretty quick.

+ Acts as de-stresser. Exercise = less cortisol, which is the hormone that causes stress. When you exercise, cortisol levels decrease. This helps you relax and think more clearly. I’ve definitely noticed this with my own exercise practice – especially yoga.

As if you needed more reasons to get moving ; ). Hope this helps shed light on another positive attribute that comes with working out! I know I’ll be keeping these benefits in mind the next time I need motivation to hit the gym.

xx, Amy

sports bra: forever 21 | leggings: forever 21 | jacket: forever 21

shoes: apl | backpack: sticks + stones | sunnies: westward leaning