Collagen is one of the most popular supplements on the wellness scene for a reason. It is one of the most abundant proteins in the body. Collagen is “the main structural protein that forms the connective tissue throughout our body, from the skin to bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments.” The protein works with a compound called elastin to make our skin more flexible, elastic, and youthful-looking. Over time, our level of collagen production decreases, and the effects become more apparent as we get older. I have three favorite products that I turn to as a way to potentially boost my collagen production. I have seen dramatic increases in my hair and nail growth, and my skin looks so glowy and soft. I am a supporter of trying to naturally upgrade myself by changing my diet and skincare routine. My go-to collagen-boosting products are:
This powder is one of the most versatile collagen products. Vital Proteins contains bovine collagen and I personally like to add this powder to smoothies, desserts, and soups. The brand also has a variety of flavors and I am a huge fan of their creamer and matcha lines.
I drink Copina Co Cacao Calm Beauty because not only does it contain collagen-boosting grape seed oil, it also has ashwagandha. Ashwagandha helps to relieve stress and calm your mood. The Copina Co brand is a small woman-owned brand that delivers high-quality plant-based products. Get a discount for Copina Co products here.
The Beauty Chef Collagen Boost is a liquid supplement that can be added to water, smoothies, and other beverages. The Beauty Chef Collagen Boost is formulated with pre and probiotics to help aid digestion. Over time I noticed that since taking Collagen Boost, my stomach feels a lot better and my bloating has decreased a lot.
And there you have it! These three products are a staple in my routine for different reasons, but the all have one thing in common– collagen! I hope anyone curious about collagen finds this helpful. As always, seek medical and professional help if you have questions or concerns.
Recently I made a batch of gluten-free carrot cake muffins adapted from @healthbymads on IG! I made mine gluten-free and vegan by subbing in almond flour for regular flour. I wanted to make this recipe because carrots have so many benefits! They are an excellent source of vitamin A in the form of beta carotene. They are also a good source of several B vitamins, as well as vitamin K and potassium. These muffins are a delicious way to get some important nutrients first thing in the morning or as a quick afternoon snack.
Ingredients
1 cup grated carrots
1 grated apple (peel the skin first)
1 mashed banana
1 cup oats
1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 eggs/flax eggs
1/2 cup raisins
2 tsp vanilla
cinnamon
dash of salt
3 tsp baking powder
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and get a non-stick muffin tray
2. Grate the apple and carrots, then mash the banana and combine all in a bowl along with the melted coconut oil, eggs & vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients, then in parts, combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients
4. Lastly, fold in raisins, then pour into the muffin tray
Recently I made a batch of gluten-free carrot cake muffins adapted from @healthbymads on IG! I made mine gluten-free and vegan by subbing in almond flour for regular flour. I wanted to make this recipe because carrots have so many benefits! They are an excellent source of vitamin A in the form of beta carotene. They are also a good source of several B vitamins, as well as vitamin K and potassium. These muffins are a delicious way to get some important nutrients first thing in the morning or as a quick afternoon snack.
Ingredients
1 cup grated carrots
1 grated apple (peel the skin first)
1 mashed banana
1 cup oats
1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 eggs/flax eggs
1/2 cup raisins
2 tsp vanilla
cinnamon
dash of salt
3 tsp baking powder
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and get a non-stick muffin tray
2. Grate the apple and carrots, then mash the banana and combine all in a bowl along with the melted coconut oil, eggs & vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients, then in parts, combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients
4. Lastly, fold in raisins, then pour into the muffin tray
Since my last post on social media marketing was helpful to a lot of you, I wanted to make a post about audience growth. I have gone over the basics of how to set up your IG profile and how to attract brands, but now I am going to share how I grew my account from 0 to 2k followers organically in less than a year! With these tactics I was able to gain followers without spending money on courses, spending hours liking and commenting on posts, or paying for followers. Having a strategy is necessary because Instagram is a competitive landscape and growing your audience organically can be a bit challenging. Here are my top 4 tips:
1) Engage with Other Members of Your Niche Daily
One of the best ways to be seen is to put yourself out there. Afterall, on social media it’s a no brainer that you act social. First you should like and comment on the posts of people you already follow regularly. Next, I recommend that you take the time to like and comment on posts from new accounts that are related to what you post about. For more details, read about how to use the $1.80 Strategy by Gary Vee to start and go from there.
2) Post Consistently
Your content from a few weeks ago will eventually become stale and no longer appear on anyone’s feed. This reduces the chances of someone engaging with or following your content. The best way to combat your content going stale is to make sure you are sharing to Instagram daily. Even if you do not have an in-feed post, be sure to snap a quick photo to add to your story. I will be coming out with a realistic content calendar for beginners soon so stay tuned!
3) Create Shareable Content
Creating content that is sharable ensures that it will go beyond the limits of your account’s reach. Sharable content can help you diversify your audience, especially if you are just starting out. If you are lucky, your content will be shared by pages with a large following. This type of content is usually relatable, inspirational, or educational in some way. Some examples include:
Infographics
Quotes
Recipes
Outfit Ideas
Educational Content
Product Photos
4) Have a Solid Hashtag Strategy
A solid hashtag strategy is the best way to grow once you have an engaged audience. I see so many people shy away from using hashtags because they think it’s not cool, but to be realistic, without hashtags your page will only grow so much. Don’t know where to start? HERE is a link to download my FREE Hashtag Strategy Cheat Sheet. This strategy I have come up with has helped me tailor my hashtags to my needs and allow my IG posts to get seen by 3k+ users at a minimum. Please note that it will arrive to your inbox in about an hour!
**Bonus** – stay on or ahead of trends! Early adopters get rewarded tremendously. If IG releases a new feature, test it out! If a topic is being widely discussed? Join the conversation!
Ultimately, how frequently you utilize these methods is up to you, but I find that when you use all of these simultaneously you get the best results. Has this post helped you at all? Let me know in the comments!
As a fan of matcha and banana bread, I was excited to try making this treat. Although my recipe is very similar to the banana bread recipe that is already on my blog, matcha is known it add a bitter element to baked goods so I had to make some slight adjustments. Although I am still tweaking around with the recipe and trying to get the right amount of sweetness from the banana and earthy taste from the matcha, the gluten-free loaf I made last week has been approved by my family and some of my followers on IG already!
Despite popular belief, You don’t need 10,000 or more followers to get started with gifted or even paid collaborations with brands! Companies are now acknowledging that nano-influencers have a lot of value in the social media marketing world. Many accounts with less than 2k followers are participating in great campaigns. However, getting noticed by the right brands — excluding the shady bikini or sunglasses accounts that want to “collab” by offering lackluster discounts– is not always easy. I’m here to share my whole experience with how I’ve worked with 40+ brands (gifted and paid) in less than 1 year. I have received free products in exchange for social posts, participated in PAID sponsorships, and have been featured on a few Instagram profiles with larger audiences! I have done this without sending a single pitch to any brand and I hope this post is helpful for anyone testing the waters.
Before I tell you my tips & tricks, here is some background about my experience and how I started this less than a year ago! Ever since the middle of college, I was all about taking aesthetic pictures and creating content. Whether it was selfies, outfit looks, or going places, I always loved capturing these moments to share with my friends.
One day I went to an event after work at a jewelry store and snapped a picture of one of their rings. The company that hosted the event reposted my photo to IG and a week after the brand offered to send me a necklace in exchange for a social media post. Eventually, the jewelry company asked me to officially work with them and the rest is history. Since then, I have worked with various clothing, skincare, hair and makeup companies such as Olehenriksen, Marc Jacobs, Mejuri, Revlon, Goop, Shea Moisture, Carol’s Daughter, Vital Proteins and more!
Here is a snapshot of my wellness account profile and bio
#1 – Know Your Niche and Set Up Your Profile
Defining your niche is very important. This lets companies know what your Instagram and content are all about. Whether you want to create content for fashion, beauty, lifestyle, fitness, health, food, cars, etc you want to make that very clear. I personally can’t stick to one niche so I’m running two accounts – one is focused on Wellness and the other is focused on Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle.
Once you know your niche, you want to make sure your profile meets certain standards to be able to catch the eye of brands. Here is a list of profile must-haves:
Public Profile that is a Creator/Business Account
Only business accounts have access to user analytics and many companies require that you send over screenshots of your analytics, especially for their paid campaigns.
IG Name Format that is SEO friendly
Name + Niche or just Niche
Examples: Bahynah | Fashion & Lifestyle or Holistic Wellness
Professional Email in Bio – Not just the button!
Most Influencer Partnership Teams are using a desktop at their office to search for you, so having it in your bio is just as important as having the email button enabled! Your email should be professional for obvious reasons.
Uniform Highlight Covers
This ties your profile together and makes it look professional.
TIP: Have a highlight for every topic you discuss on your page, and if you want, have a highlight for PR/Collabs too.
Here is my feed before brands started to reach out to me
#2 – Post Quality Content+ Use Hashtags
In the influencer world content is king and without great content on your profile, you will be overlooked by brands. Your Instagram profile is basically your portfolio + resume to brands. For anyone starting out, post high-quality pictures of products you already own with great captions. Be sure to tag the brand and use appropriate hashtags. Make sure that your feed is curated and cohesive. You want your profile to look good at first glance to draw in someone’s attention. Doing this lead to my first major gifted campaign. Also, I will be coming out with a hashtag cheatsheet (hashtags help brands find you and grow your following)soon so stay tuned!
Overall, having an aesthetic feed does give you an advantage. The first thing that brands tell me when they reach out is how they love my content and feed. You don’t need to have a specific theme (branded colors, logos, etc.) or use the same exact filter every time. Just make sure that your pictures look good together.
Here is my current feed – my photos are not identical but they flow together
#3 – Be Consistent
Consistency is key! It is important to show brands that you post regularly and have an engaged audience. I try to post at least every other day. Being consistent is important for growing your audience too keeping your followers interested in what you have to say. The truth is, IG favors accounts that post more so if you cannot upload an infeed post, make sure you post something in your story that day.
#4 – Create a Media Kit + Know Your Rates
When a brand reaches out to me via email, I always send them a copy of my media kit (if I accept the collab). Not only does it look more professional to have a media kit, media kits also are a way for the brand to remember you and keep you in mind for future campaigns.
Canva is a great tool for beginners, but I made my own custom media kit in Photoshop. There is no correct format for a media kit, but it should have:
Quick Bio
Demographic/Audience Info
Stats (Engagement Rate, Follower Count)
Links to All Your Social Media
#5 – Join Influencer Networks
Influencer networks are a great way to land deals. The Agency/Network does the work of pairing you with potential campaigns and when I was starting out it helped me understand the types of brands and partnerships I was attracting. Some great networks are:
Influenster – You get free beauty products in exchange for completing social media posts, reviews, and surveys. The more campaigns you participate in, the higher the likely hood of being chosen for another! Totally recommend this for beginners.
InfluenceHer Collective – You can make about $200-300 per post! I recommend having your profiles buttoned up before applying, it is a little harder to get into this network. I applied twice and did not get in until I had at least 1k followers, a business account, and a blog.
Fohr – Has paid and gifted campaigns that are matched to your profile. Fohr provides stats, demographic data, and engagement rates. Fohr has a one-sheet that you can download send to brands. Please note- Fohr recently has come under scrutiny for their unfair payment rates.
Trend: You can make about $30-70 per post. Its Invite Only so DM me for the referral code to get in!
Hopefully, this information is helpful for anyone just starting out! By doing all of these steps I was able to passively get brand deals offered to me. I have recently started pitching to brands myself and will be sharing how I do that soon so be on the lookout!
Do you have any other social media tips for newbies? If so share them in the comments!
Like a lot of women, I used to dread getting my period every month. During what I would consider a normal cycle, I was in pain because of cramps for hours on end, always exhausted, and had heavy bleeding. I noticed that right before my period started I was unable to focus and needed to take a nap right before my cycle started. During some of my worst periods, I remember vomiting in public because I suddenly felt a sharp pain everywhere from the waist down. I also recall bleeding through my super tampon, my clothes, and onto a chair in my 8:40 am lecture (I remember putting my tampon in 20 mins before class).
I always assumed that my periods were just going to be difficult for as long as I had them and that there was nothing I could do about it. My life revolved around my cycle — I would avoid social outings and in college, I often would skip lectures because I physically could not get up in the morning. It wasn’t until I really started to research my symptoms and read about the experiences of others who made efforts to improve their periods that I realized things were not normal I should try to prevent my symptoms instead of accepting them.
Through trial and error and several lifestyle changes, I can now say that I have a much more manageable cycle– I am no longer a slave to “Aunt Flo” and do not have anxiety about her anymore. Here are 5 things I believe made a big difference in helping alleviate my period symptoms:
Using the Cycle Tracking feature on the Health app — Although this might seem obvious to some, actually having an idea of when your cycle is about to start is the first step to managing your symptoms. That meant I knew when to buy feminine care products and check to see if I had run out of Aleve before my period started. That meant making sure I had the right foods in my pantry and my “period friendly clothes” washed and ready to wear. Having a sense of control in some way also helped me keep my stress levels down.
Eating a balanced diet that focuses on anti-inflammatory foods – Studies show that eating foods that decrease inflammation in the body can help to tame menstrual cramps overtime. These foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Research has shown that due to the high level of antioxidant rich foods, both vegan and plant-based eating patterns can work to decrease inflammation in the body. I try to always meal prep before my period and keep foods like kale, lentils and quinoa in mind when choosing what to eat. Of course, I still have a treat every once in a while!
Choosing my feminine care products wisely — Although I am a fan of tampons over pads (who really wants to feel like they are wearing a diaper), when I commited to wearing pads for the majority of my cycle, I noticed that the intensity of my period cramps significantly decreased. Please note: Tampons do not necessarily cause period cramps, but they can make the cramps that you have feel worse if you get inflammation during your cycle. Personally, I wear pads to sleep and while I am at home, and tampons when I am out and about. I recently made the switch to organic tampons and reusable pads because I am trying to be more conscious of what I put in my body. Things are going well so far, but are plenty of other options available and I recommend everyone explore them.
Eliminating caffeine during my cycle — This was tough because I love having a matcha in the morning. I learned that for me, drinking caffeine during my period can actually make my cramps worse. Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it makes the blood vessels in your body constrict. This can cause the vessels in your uterus to tighten, making your period cramps even more painful than they already are. While this may not help everyone, once I switched to caffeine free tea blends during the day, I noticed that my cramps were less severe.
Staying active – Honestly I still have trouble with this, but exercising during your cycle is so beneficial. Personally for me, I feel my mood shift after a workout and my energy levels are so much higher. This Healthline article outline some of the benefits of exercising during your period and I also used this Sweats and the City blog post as a guide when I first decided to be more active during my period. That being said, I recommend you pace yourself, do what works for you or consult a medical professional if you are not sure.
And there you have it! These 5 things really helped me change my life for the better and I hope this helps someone out there in some way. Please feel free to ask me any questions in the comments or through DM on Instagram.
If you follow me on Instagram you have probably seen me make a matcha latte at least once a week. Matcha, like the traditional green tea that you get in a tea bag, is filled with antioxidants and very beneficial for you. Matcha powder however, is more bio-available than green tea, meaning you can absorb it better. Although this powder is good for you, it gets kind of pricey overtime and it is best for me personally to make matcha lattes at home. Here is how to make a latte:
LATTE INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 tsp matcha powder (I like Townshend’s and Organic Matcha)
1/4 cup of hot water
3/4 cup of non dairy milk – heat or leave chilled if you want a hot or iced latte
DIRECTIONS
Add the matcha powder to the hot water and stir with a wooden matcha whisk or in a blender. If you used a blender, remove the matcha and water mitxure and keep it in a separate container.
For iced lattes – add the cold milk to the blender and blend until it is frothy. For hot lattes, heat on a stove top gradually until the milk becomes frothy.
Add the milk to a glass or mug (with ice if you want an iced latte).
Pour the matcha and water mixture over the almond milk.
It’s officially fall and the beachy and floral decorations in storefronts have all been swapped out for pumpkins and colorful autumn leaves. The autumn season is not only known for changes in fashion and temperatures in NY, it also starts a shift in how we eat as well. Fall (and winter) are notorious for causing weight gain as people decrease their level of physical activity and consume heavier foods. While I love a good piece of pumpkin bread, I have found some alternative foods that are hearty but also healthier from Trader Joe’s. Here are my three favorites:
Autumnal Harvest Soup
The Autumnal Harvest Soup from Trader Joe’s has been a life saver for me this season. This soup comes in a resealable jar and has about three servings. It is a tomato based dish but the butternut squash and other flavors add a sweetness that tones down the acidity of a traditional tomato soup. The Autumnal Harvest Soup can be warmed up on the stove and in the microwave. I recommend taking a jar to the office and keeping it in the fridge for when you forget your lunch or having a jar handy for an easy yet filling meal.
Butternut Squash Pizza Crust
I actually found this Butternut Squash Pizza Crust when I was looking for the usual gluten free pizza crust I grab. I recently made a pizza with this crust and it tasted like fall– without the stereotypical apple or pumpkin flavors. I definitely recommend building your own pizza with this crust. I made a pizza with organic tomato sauce, vegan cheese, spinach and cherry tomatoes that was super comforting and delicious.
Riced Cauliflower & Butternut Squash Risotto
This lower carb risotto is not only perfect for those watching their carb or gluten intake, but also for anyone wanting to eat more vegetables. This can be eaten as a side dish or all on its own. I am keeping a few bags of this in my freezer for a rainy day. Please note that this does have dairy– if you are sensitive I would avoid this.
And there you have it! Three healthy Trader Joe’s find that are hearty for autumn. Let me know if you try and enjoy these dishes!
Wellthy Girl 