10 tips to RAWk the no-makeup look!

Last year I did a 7-week no-makeup challenge and it transformed the way I thought about myself and about beauty. I didn’t wear a TON of make-up but I would not leave the house without the basics -wearing tinted moisturizer, mascara, lip-gloss and a bronzer/blush combo. I felt like I needed these products to look beautiful or at least be presentable.

I grew up with a mother that placed the upmost importance on appearance and it was always stressed that my sisters and I be presentable young ladies. I would whine when she curled my hair, occasionally burning my ear or forehead because I wouldn’t sit still. I didn’t get why looks were important; I just wanted to play. It wasn’t until I hit middle school that I started caring about how I looked.

I started wearing make-up when I was 13, mostly because the other girls in my grade were wearing it, and partly because it was a way to express my creativity and individuality. I loved drawing and coloring so naturally I was curios about drawing on and coloring my face. I learned how to keep a steady hand to apply eyeliner, had fun with sparkly eye shadows and had several flavors of  Lip Smackers lip-gloss. Make-up was fun. Somewhere between middle school and high school it went from fun to daily ritual. The make-up got heavier as the years went on and I felt less and less comfortable with my naked face.

While travelling the world, I’ve met some really inspirational women. Many of them leading natural lives, living clean, conscious and free of make-up. These women are beautiful – they radiate pure love for others and for themselves and inspired me to learn to love my make-up-less face. Also, by eating a natural raw food diet of mostly fresh fruits and veggies over the past three years, natural living in all ways became more and more appealing. When I went to Costa Rica last year I knew it would be the perfect time to do a 6-week no make-up challenge and I enjoyed it so much I did it for 7 weeks. 

The first two weeks of make-up-free were difficult. Every time I passed a mirror I didn’t recognize or like the person looking back at me. It was uncomfortable to feel so exposed and I realized that I was wearing make-up as a literal mask to hide the real me. Step one was to work on the inside and become more comfortable being my true self. As the weeks went on this became easier and felt more natural. I stopped looking in the mirror all together except to brush my teeth at the end of the night. I didn’t do this on purpose either, it just happened. I didn’t need to look in the mirror anymore. I loved getting up in the morning, throwing on a pair of shorts and a tank, letting my hair out of my bun and I was ready to go! What a change being able to get ready for my day in 2 minutes, not knowing or caring how I looked. I felt like a kid again, able to focus on the excitement of a new day and fun activities instead of starting it off self-absorbed. I really didn’t realize how many times I would look in the mirror in a day to check and see if I looked good or not. This experience changed my life for the better as I became more aware of my thought patterns and self-image issues. It was a tool to help me release these old behaviors and learn to love myself more fully.  

Many women I talk to say that they couldn’t imagine going make-up free for even one day. I would love to share some tips to help you feel more comfortable in your own skin and bare it all. I’ll give you a hint – It’s all about that glow! Instead of painting it on, you can glow from the inside out and let your beautiful self shine! 

1. Wear a smile! - It’s your best feature! True beauty radiates from the inside. Smiling, even when we are in a bad mood releases endorphins that make us happy. When we are happy we glow and there’s nothing more attractive than tha
2. Know that you ARE beautiful! - Learn to love yourself exactly the way you are inside and out. Work on those negative thought patterns in your head that say you’re not good enough, pretty enough, successful enough, etc. You are a goddess and you are perfect! If you see yourself as beautiful, others will see that in you. We are all divine reflections of each other.
3. Take care of your skin – Get rid of the chemical cleansers and toners that dry up your skin. Your natural oils will balance and you won’t need to replenish them with moisturizers. If you want a natural moisturizer, use some quality coconut oil. Wash with clean water only and pat dry with a clean towel.
4. Hydrate! - Our bodies are comprised of mostly water and it’s our job to keep it hydrated with fresh, clean water.
5. Eat more fruits and veggies! - Get that glow from eating a raw vegan or high raw diet comprised of mostly fresh fruits and veggies. Healthy body = healthy skin. Fruits and vegetables are high in water content and full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals essential for healthy glowing skin. Most raw foodies I know are radiant beauties that don’t need to wear any make-up. Plus we detox through our skin so the less processed, junk foods and animal products you eat the less toxins your body will have to get rid of. Eating healthy is one of the most essential tips to beautiful skin.
   
   
   
6. Get some sun! – Sun kissed skin has a beautiful glow. Some women feel more comfortable wearing less makeup in the summer with a tan. Lots of skin care gurus will tell you to stay out of the sun, but the sun is essential to healthy glowing skin…you just have to be smart about it. Don’t go out and bake in peak UV hours. Get sunlight in the morning or late afternoon for a healthy tan.  
7. Rest and Relax – They don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing. Getting around 8 hours of sleep each night will do wonders for your skin and for the bags under your eyes. Stress also plays a big factor in pre-mature aging and it shows on your face. Do whatever it takes to reduce the stress in your life, whether that means finding a new job you love or ending relationships that don’t serve you anymore. Sometimes it just takes a simple shift in perspective to look on the bright side to let go of stress.
8. Start your day with exercise! – Getting your blood pumping with some physical activity brings a lovely rosy color to your cheeks and gives you a natural glow to start off your day.
9. Stop licking your lips! – Licking your lips dries them out, creating the ‘need’ for lip-gloss, especially if you live in drier climates. Start to pay attention to how often you lick your lips - you might be surprised! If you do wish to moisturize use coconut oil. You can also use coconut oil as a natural make-up remover!
10. RAWk your natural hair color – The closer to your natural hair color your hair is, the more natural you’ll look without makeup. Colors that contrast heavily can bring out blemishes on your skin. Keep your hair healthy with natural hair care. Use products that are free from sulphates, parabens and other nasty chemicals, or try the poo-free method!

Now I still enjoy wearing make-up sometimes, but the big difference is that I don’t feel like I need it to feel beautiful and I actually feel more beautiful wearing less. I can leave the house au natural without feeling like a gargoyle and that is freeing! There is nothing more beautiful than feeling comfortable and happy in your own skin. Plus my skin is happier being able to breathe! I challenge you to try having a few make-up free days and see how you feel. It all starts with caring about yourself and starting a more natural beauty routine to let your inner glow out.  

Lots of love and fresh squeezed hugs,

xoxo

Naturally Ashley

Ashley Clark is a Holistic Health Coach, artist, photographer and the owner/operator of Naturally Ashley Nutrition. This prairie girl from Saskatchewan Canada loves to nourish her body positive thoughts and ripe seasonal fruits! She wants to share everything she knows about holistic living to inspire others on their journey to create a happy, healthy lifestyle naturally.

Ashley received holistic health coach training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and has been following a raw vegan diet for three years. She has healed many health issues such as candida, gallbladder inflammation, chronic hives and allergies, sinus problems, digestive issues, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic urinary tract infections and more. She now feels lighter and brighter with abundant energy to pursue her dreams!

I Can Fly! Flying Trapeze in Costa Rica

Taking the leap and facing your fears >>>

Looking back on 2014, I noticed there was a theme happening in my life. The theme was letting go. Letting go of attachments, what other people think of me, what I think of me, negative thoughts, material possessions and general control issues. I still have some work to do, but have come a long way. This year, I’ve noticed the theme extend to facing my fears. I originally thought I could just let go of fears but it turns out there’s a bit more work to it… I actually have to face them.

Part of my journey in facing my fears this year included taking a flying trapeze class in Costa Rica. I have a fear of heights, and I thought that learning how to swing like a monkey would be a fun way to overcome this… plus I could wear my ‘Go Bananas’ monkey tank and banana leggings to channel my inner ape. I had it figured out. We went during our retreat with our guests so there was no backing out anyways.

I totally under-estimated how scary this would be, even with my fear of heights. But it was by far one of the coolest things I’ve ever done!

I thought the class was going to be super basic; that I’d spend the majority of the time watching the three instructors swing through the air gracefully in awe from the safe and stable ground. That I might climb the tall ladder once, maybe twice, to swing through the air myself, a little less gracefully and hopefully not die. I didn’t even know if my chicken arms would be strong enough to hold up my entire body.

To my surprise, the first thing we were going to learn was how to do a knee hang where you swing from your knees and let go of the bar! Say what?? Let go??? I wanted to run. There’s no way I can do that. Nooo way… Oh wait there’s more… you have to let go by doing a back flip. Grrrreat! Not only was I scared, I still didn’t believe I could do it. I started to calm down as I watched the others go first and seen that most of them were able to do it so I thought maybe, just maybe I could too.  I held off till last, shocker, and while standing at the bottom of the ridiculously skinny and wobbly ladder, my heart started to pound. Hard. 

I looked up as they attached the safety line, assessing if I really wanted to go through with this… Yes, yes I do. I want to face my fear and swing like a monkey, or at least try to. Trying not to let on how scared I was I climbed the tall and ridiculously skinny ladder, trembling all the way. Everyone in the group was so encouraging cheering me on and that helped a lot. I got to the top and had to step out onto a tiny hanging platform with one of the trainers on it. Don’t look down. Taking that small step was terrifying being up so high but it wasn’t as scary as the next part - Trusting the trainer to hold me while I thrust all my weight forward to grab the bar. Breathe Ashley. Breathe. One hand. Then two hands holding the bar. Now comes the jump. The leap of faith…can I do this?? Ahhhhhhhh.

I jumped! And once I was flying through the air I forgot about everything else and focused on listening to the trainer. Legs up. Let go! I’m doing it!!! I’m flying! Yay!! I even did the back flip onto the net.  What an amazing feeling. I felt free.

 
Then they told us that if we practiced and could get the timing right we could do a catch! (at the end of the first video I say that I don’t know if I could do it again.) I really didn’t want to climb that ladder again, but I felt motivated by the group and I really wanted to do the catch so I practiced. I climbed the ladder again and again, and it was just as terrifying. Trust. Have faith. Let go. These things take some practice. I can see how doing something like this can have a profound effect on other areas in your life.

The practice paid off and I did the catch! (video below).  I fully channeled my inner banana-eating monkey and learned that my body was way stronger than I give it credit for. What a great reminder to keep trying new things in life. You never know what you are capable of accomplishing.

I encourage you to try something new! Maybe it isn’t the flying trapeze but do something outside of your comfort zone. Embrace the fear of the unknown and take the leap. It’s worth it!

Lots of love and fresh squeezed hugs,

xoxo

Naturally Ashley

Ashley Clark is a Holistic Health Coach, artist, photographer and the owner/operator of Naturally Ashley Nutrition. This prairie girl from Saskatchewan Canada loves to nourish her body positive thoughts and ripe seasonal fruits! She wants to share everything she knows about holistic living to inspire others on their journey to create a happy, healthy lifestyle naturally.

Ashley received holistic health coach training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and has been following a raw vegan diet for three years. She has healed many health issues such as candida, gallbladder inflammation, chronic hives and allergies, sinus problems, digestive issues, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic urinary tract infections and more. She now feels lighter and brighter with abundant energy to pursue her dreams!

Top 10 Reasons I Love Costa Rica!

The Top 10 reasons Why I Love Costa Rica!

Have you ever went out to start your car in -30 degree weather to head to a job you don't even like and think to yourself...why do I live here?  Why do I live in the freezing cold when I could literally be on a beach somewhere? I did. I thought about that a lot...and the longer you eat a fruit based diet, the more your body craves the tropics. I decided to move to Costa Rica for three months this year and escape the winter - the really cold nasty part from January to April. I have been living in the sunshine for two months now, up in the mountains in the thick of the jungle, surrounded by lush green tropical plants, fruit trees, fresh air and bright blue skies. I am so grateful that my partner Chris Kendall shared this place with me last year. I love so much about this country that I was inspired to write and share all my favorite things with you.   

1. The Sun!

My sun-kissed skin is happy and glowing. I’m from Saskatchewan Canada, and used to experiencing 7 months of winter, so I’ve really come to appreciate the sun and it’s warm, healing rays. It’s good for your health to get a daily dose of sunbeams… and I get to tan naked! No neighbors to worry about like in the city. All the beautiful parts of my body get the healing benefits of the sun when I’m out here. I look and feel healthier. The sun is very powerful in many ways including cleaning your blood and lymph. It is also the best source of vitamin D, an essential vitamin that many are lacking living in cold climates.

2. The Fruit!

Costa Rica is a fruit lover’s paradise! Have you been following my Instagram? (@missnaturallyashley) If you have you will have seen all the amazing fruit photos I’ve been posting.  From biriba to sapodilla and jackfruit, they have such a variety of delicious tropical fruits. Some taste like key lime pie, lemon meringue pie, chocolate pudding, brown sugar, and marshmallows. So far I have been enjoying biriba, the best mangos, cherimoya, jackfruit, the sweetest pineapples, 7 different varieties of bananas, passion fruit, star fruit, star apples, papaya, mamey, mora berries, oranges, watermelons, gaia melons, cantaloupe, guanabana, and tons of coconuts! Talk about fruit heaven!

3. The Water!

Whether I’m playing in the ocean or in a fresh water spring, there’s plenty of ways to connect with water and refresh after a day in the sun. Costa Rica has some of the most beautiful beaches and breathtaking waterfalls… Nauyaca being one of my favorites.  I am also a bit of a water snob and love that you can drink the tap water in Costa Rica. It’s not like it’s neighboring countries where you have to be careful and stock up on bottled water. They are very eco-friendly and take great pride in keeping their environment clean and natural.

4. The Market!

Being a raw foodie, I really look forward to market days where I can go buy 6 pineapples for $2 and stock up on the essentials for the week, spending way less money and getting higher quality fruits and veggies than at home. We really enjoy the local Tinamastes Organic market on Tuesdays. That’s where we get a lot of the tropical fruits like jackfruit and biriba from local fruit farms. The big market in San Isidro is on Thursdays and that where we stock up on organic greens, mangos, tomatoes, pineapples and much, much more. We need a truck to get all our food home! The market is also a social thing…you run into so many people you know from the community and it can be hard to leave.

5. The Green-ness! 

Get out of the city and into the jungle, where wifi boxes and EMF’s do not surround you. Breathe in the clean fresh air and enjoy connecting with nature, walking barefoot and feeling the earth between your toes. Everywhere I look is green, vibrant and alive…very healing and opening for the heart chakra.

6. The Clouds!

We live in the Diamante Valley and spend most of our time here in the mountains. It’s nice and cool in the evenings and we are only 30 minutes from Dominical – a surfer beach town. We get the best of both worlds. The most beautiful part about where we live is in the evenings the clouds roll in while the sun is setting and the mountains just glow. It’s like a scene from the movie Avatar. Pure magic! This really is a photographer's dream...bring your camera!  

7. Sloths, Monkeys and Bugs, Birds and Butterflies!

I love all the wildlife here in Costa Rica. Each morning I wake up and hear the howler monkeys in the trees and after the sunrises, the hummingbirds come to say hello with their song and vibration that warms my heart. Beautiful butterflies, caterpillars, the odd lizard and lots of froggies overtake our yard and bless us with their presence. We also see plenty of bugs, moths, spiders, and creatures that I’ve never even imagined. All the bugs freaked me out at first, but I am living in their home and have found peace with them, even have grown to love them with a certain fascination. Every new bug is a new discovery! If you want to see the adorable sloths and white-faced monkeys head to Manuel Antonio’s National Park. It’s worth it to go see the beautiful beaches…and you might even see a crocodile too!

8. Cheap Travel!

They have a pretty great bus system here and you can travel across the country for $8! We hop on a bus to the city for $1 and they are nice buses..not like the ones I've been on in Mexico. The only downside is that the roads are up and down and curvy… not the best for people that get carsick like I do! We also have had great luck with hitchhiking and do it often to get to the beach or to the market. And for accomodations, you can find inexpensive places to stay. Tenting and hostels as cheap as $10-$20 a night. Or do what Chris and I did and rent a house. We have a really nice place for $500/month for the two of us. It includes all bills and internet and we pay an additional $25 a month to have cell service to make calls and have unlimited data (to post photos to Instagram of course!) You can follow more of our travels at @missnaturallyashley and @therawadvantage on Instagram! 

9. The Community! 

I have met the most warm hearted, friendly, loving people here in Costa Rica; both the locals (Ticos) and the people who migrate here. And there's a lot of fruit lovers too! I will leave here with so many new friends that are near and dear to my heart. Everyone seems to have the same conscious vibe, whether you are into raw/whole foods, yoga, meditation, spiritual journeys, permaculture or natural living in general. I also feel completely safe where we live to walk around at night and we never lock the doors.

10. Pura Vida!

This expression, which means ‘Pure Life’ is used as a greeting, a farewell, a way to say thanks or express ‘things are great’ and sums up Costa Rica’s positive vibes about living life healthily, slowly, and peacefully.  If I could sum up this country in a word I’d describe it as peaceful. This country has no army and is very friendly with a low crime rate. It’s a great place to be!

Ashley Clark

Holistic Health Coach

Naturally Ashley Nutrition

Ashley Clark is a Holistic Health Coach, Artist, Photographer and the owner/operator of Naturally Ashley Nutrition. This prairie girl from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan loves to nourish her body with positive thoughts and ripe seasonal fruits. She is happiest being creative and loves to share healthy recipes, taking lots of photos of her colorful, fruity creations. Ashley wants to share everything she knows about holistic living to inspire and support others on their journey to create happy, healthy lifestyles, naturally.

Ashley received holistic health coach training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She began her health journey after being diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2007, trying many different diets to find out what works best for her. Ashley has been following a low-fat, raw vegan diet since May 2012, inspired by Dr. Doug Graham’s book The 80-10-10 Diet. She has overcome several health issues including Candida, gall bladder inflammation, chronic UTI’s, chronic hives, allergies and sinus problems, and now has more energy, a clearer mind and feels more vibrant than ever!

Connect with Ashley:

www.naturallyashley.com

Email: naturallyashleynutrition@gmail.com

Follow Naturally Ashley for lots of recipes, tips and inspiration!

Instagram - @missnaturallyashley

Twitter - @MissNaturalAsh

YouTube - NaturallyAshleyNASH

Facebook- Naturally Ashley Nutrition