70 SELF-CARE TIPS hot girls don't want you to know...

Hey girl, hey. Welcome back. My name is Nikki, and today we are talking about self-care tips that hot girls don't want you to know. This was part of my little series from a few months ago. I did a makeup one and a travel one. If you haven't seen those yet, be sure to check them out.

I believe that self-care is very much an act of self-love. You're doing these things for your body that does so much for you throughout the day. Now, there has been a little bit of a toxic trend going around—I believe it's toxic—but the morning shred. It's that trend where girls have been putting a lot of things on their face, their hair—like hair rollers, face masks, lip masks, mouth tape. I don't know, so many things. I think our society has taken this glow-up culture so seriously lately. I truly believe that self-care is so much more of a mental thing than a physical thing, and those morning shreds are just focusing on the physical. You don't actually need to do all of that to look good; you just need to feel good, and then you will look good because it will come off to the world that you are confident and happy in your body and happy with the way that you look. So I just wanted to preface all of that before I go into the tips so that you can view this video and be like, not feeling that pressure of glowing up necessarily. I said what I said. All right, my beautiful people, let's get started.

With hygiene tips first things first, I know that we always forget this one, but it is so important: regularly clean your makeup brushes and also your headphone fabric, your hats, headbands—anything that comes close to your face. If you didn't know, these are removable, and I just wash these with soap and water. Let them dry completely before putting them back in. That goes well with my next point, which is to change your sheets often, especially your pillowcases. Because think about it: your hair products, your face care, your lotions—everything is getting on your pillowcases, and it's storing that dirt, storing that bacteria, and then transferring onto your face when you sleep. I like to have like multiple pillowcases for that reason, so I could change them like every three or four days. That's if I'm being good; usually it's like once a week at least. But yeah.

Next is don't let your sweat sit on your face for too long after a workout. I like to use hypochlorous acid spray, which is basically like an antibacterial spray that cleanses your face really quickly. You can use it throughout the day, for the gym, all that. It also really helps with breakouts from dirt. If your hair is greasy, wash it. I don't know why we all of a sudden started saying like, "Don't wash your hair often, let your natural oils, you know, do their thing," but everyone's scalps are different; everyone's scalps are going to be producing different amounts of oil, so it's just so much easier to wash your hair rather than just saturating your hair and dry shampoo. Try and brush your teeth before you cleanse your face because sometimes toothpaste can be responsible for little mouth breakouts and also clogging your pores. If you like to drink coffee or black tea or wine, make sure that you are brushing your teeth immediately after drinking those liquids; they stain your teeth really fast, and that stain will build up into eventually you having just yellow teeth. Also, make sure you're scraping your tongue. I use the back of my toothbrush to do this, but you could also get like a tongue scraper to specifically do this. Your tongue is where a lot of the bad breath is stored. Bad breath also comes from being dehydrated, so make sure you're drinking a ton of water. And if you're really bad at drinking water, get a cup with a straw because genuinely having a tumbler like this—a Stanley—has helped me tremendously with my water intake throughout the day.

Now let's discuss a few tips for down there. So if you didn't already know, cranberry juice is great for helping your scents be better, especially if you have any kind of infection down there; you want to be running to the grocery store to get that cranberry juice. Never ever use soap down there; it's so bad for you. Just rinse with water or use baby wipes throughout the day to also just help with like an extra cleanse. If you have access to a sauna or steam room, I recommend going in with like no underwear so that you can let down there have a little bit of steam. It's called yoni steaming, and it's an actual thing, whereas some women would do like herbs and like steam with a bowl, but a sauna and steam room is just as good and way easier. It's really good for menstrual health and promotes circulation and relaxation. You should also every night try to sleep with very loose underwear on or even no underwear at all. She is stuck throughout the day, and you need to let her free sometimes. Okay, let her breathe. Also, sleeping in cotton underwear is way better than any other materials.

And since we're kind of on that topic, if you struggle with cramps, I'd recommend raspberry leaf tea. Start drinking it like two days before your period comes and then also while you're on your period, and this should help you with cramps. The reason you're still getting razor bumps is: A, you're shaving at the beginning of your shower instead of the end; the end is way better because by that time your hair follicles have steamed up and become way more smoother to shave. B, your razor is old and needs a new blade, so consider a replacement. C, you're shaving against the way that your hair naturally grows, which is causing a lot of razor bumps because if your hair is growing like this, then your razor should also be following that instead of going against it. And D, you're not using any shave cream or shower gel, and you're just using water, which is not the best. Clean your phone screen more often. You don't even know how much you touch this thing, and it builds up so much bacteria, which you then touch your face with, and it transfers on. So any kind of like Windex or a screen-cleaning fluid, or even sometimes I've used like hand sanitizer in the past and just wiped it down. Make sure that you're cleaning under your nails regularly. Those little brushes that they use at the nail salon or like an old toothbrush can work really well for just like scrubbing it down extra well.

This next one I had to learn from: do not put your sweaty workout clothes into the laundry hamper right away, because guess what? Mold is a thing. I went to wash my white shorts once after they were like sitting in the laundry hamper for a week—shorts that I wore to hot yoga, so you can imagine how damp they were. I go to wash them, and I see pink dots on my white shorts. It looked like it was going to be some new freaking species of mushrooms growing. I don't know, but yeah, don't let that be you. And my last little hygiene tip is to not mix your scents. So if you have a body lotion that's vanilla, but then you have your perfume that's more citrusy, it's just going to create a weird mix. So make sure that everything that you're using in your shower routine, with your lotion and then perfume, it all goes together really well.

All right, now let's move on to the skin section of this video. So, as I mentioned before, saunas are a great way to detoxify your body and sweat all your toxins out. I do this once a week, and the cycle that I do it in is 10-minute sauna, 2-minute cold plunge, 10-minute sauna, 2-minute cold plunge, and I do all of this after a workout, and I feel so good; I feel like a new person afterward. Now I know that not everyone has access to a sauna or a cold plunge, of course, but the best thing that I would do in that scenario is to just start taking cold showers at the end of your hot showers. Cold plunges and cold showers give you a rush of endorphins and dopamine and can even increase those by 250%, a study found. And for cold showers, I would usually do them for around 30 seconds to a minute.

I would really recommend investing in a humidifier for your room, especially for when you sleep. This helps your skin from drying out by releasing a lot of moist air. Humidifiers and oil diffusers are also very different, so don't get those confused. A humidifier is going to be way bigger and contain a lot of water that it's going to release into the air eventually, whereas an oil diffuser contains way less water, and it's more so focused on releasing essential oil scents into the air rather than actually having a difference in like the humidity of the air. Either of those are really great for if you do want to use them for essential oils, and I would really recommend lavender essential oil for sleep and relaxation and then a more like citrusy essential oil for energizing your air. If you're someone that goes into pools a lot and like is in chlorine water a lot, then make sure that you're always rinsing that chlorine off of yourself because chlorine is so bad for your skin, and it also fades your tan; it fades your colored hair if you have colored hair or bleached hair. I am so much more of an ocean person than a pool person, mainly for those reasons too, because seawater is going to like rejuvenate your skin and hair and nails and everything, while chlorine is going to have like the opposite effect.

If you didn't already know, exfoliating should be a part of your skincare routine at least like bi-weekly because it helps you get rid of all that texture in your skin, helping it be smooth and also just getting rid of like dead skin cells and restoring your skin. Exfoliating with AHA and BHA products is way better than exfoliating with any kind of scrub. If your skin is more on the sensitive side, then I would recommend Paula's Choice exfoliator. I know that that one's good for sensitive skin because my dermatologist said so, and she was like, "You can go a little stronger," because my skin personally is not as sensitive, so she's like, "Use Alpha-H Liquid Gold" instead. So if you don't have sensitive skin, then I recommend trying Alpha-H Liquid Gold. This is going to be a stronger kind of exfoliator, and I use a Philosophy peel bi-weekly, I'd say. Also, keep in mind that your skincare should not be heavily fragranced, so so if your skin cream like smells really good, it's probably not good for you. Make sure you're actually sticking to a skincare routine instead of constantly switching up your products, and also you don't need a massive skincare routine; less is more; less is always way better, so keep that simplicity also in mind when you're doing your routine. Make sure to go from the thin products to the thick products, so toners, then serums, then moisturizer, and then lastly SPF, and never skip your SPF. I was never one to wear sunscreen every day because I thought that was like some weird myth, but then I saw TikToks of people wearing their SPF, and at 50 they looked so good. Think of SPF almost like something that you're doing for yourself long term. And as important as SPF is on your face, it is also very important to put it on your neck and on your hands because this is where the skin is going to start sagging first when you get older.

Make sure to also put on lotion every single day. Lotion absorbs way better if you put it on straight after the shower. I got a massage yesterday, and the lady said that I had the best skin that she has ever massaged in 15 years—such a compliment, honestly—but I think it's because I lotion every single day. Treat your body as well as you treat your face. If you're going out and you want like a stunning body glow or if you're just wearing like a low-rise top, you're going to put on lotion, then some body oil, and then finish it off with a glow enhancer. So any like Drunk Elephant glow drops or the L'Oréal Lumi Glotion is also great; that's what I use; it like adds to your outfit. Make sure to do your skincare at least an hour before bed because this helps make sure that all of your skincare products are absorbed. And sure, skincare is super important, but what you eat also has a huge effect on your skin. Do let me know if you want a video specifically on eating and workout habits because I do want to get more into like the wellness stuff, but I will say I used to have really bad chin acne—like literally two months ago—I found out that it was hormonal cystic acne, and a big cause of that I found was dairy for me. So even though I used to drink milk and yogurt and cheese my entire life, as soon as I hit my 22 years of age, my hormones changed, and they started not liking dairy, so it was more so less dairy for me, and it helped clear my chin acne, and then also less sugar.

Dermaplaning—so it's when you use that little blade and you scrape off the peach fuzz off your face—and this is really good for makeup application, to have your skincare absorb better and just make your face look smoother. You never want to do it on dry skin; you want to make sure your face is a little damp and also put some kind of facial oil just so it kind of serves as like a facial like shave cream. And of course, I did hear the thing of like, "Hair is going to grow back thicker if you shave it." I didn't notice that personally, so I think it's fine. If you are a pimple popper like myself—I know it's so bad, I know it's so bad—ice your pimples after you pop them because it really helps that inflammation go down, and it helps it like not be 3D afterward. Also, make sure that if you are popping your pimples—which is not something I encourage—but if you are doing it, then do them after a warm shower because that's when your pores are going to be the most open, and it's going to be a lot easier to do. So instead of using pimple patches, try using hydrocolloid bandages; it basically just does the same thing as a pimple patch, but it's cheaper and maybe even more effective for removing all that gunk. If you're still using makeup wipes, try to leave those behind because they tug on your skin so much, and it's usually a very aggressive process of just trying to get that makeup off when it is much easier to use micellar water on a cotton pad. Also, the double-cleansing method, where you use an oil cleanser first and then a regular cleanser, is a great way to ensure that your face is very, very clean. The oil cleanser is really good for like removing all the makeup and dirt, and then then the actual cleanser is going to go in and purify your skin. Stop ignoring your jawline and your hairline when cleansing because you probably have some kind of leftover makeup or dirt or sweat there, and you're ignoring it, and then you're breaking out in those areas, which is annoying. So make sure you're just washing everything.

Tanning drops for the face—this is my little guilty pleasure, so to say. This is my little secret to helping my face A, match my body better, and B, look better without makeup. I use the Isle of Paradise drops; been using those for years. Hot showers do feel good, but they're not the best for your skin or hair because your skin is going to dry out, especially in the winter; hot showers are like a no-go. Loofahs should be changed regularly because they hold a lot of bacteria. And my last little tip is to start giving yourself massages. There's two different kinds of massages that you can give yourself. The first one is a lymphatic drainage massage, which focuses on the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is responsible for removing toxins, excess fluids, and waste from your body. A lymphatic drainage massage is great because it reduces water retention and bloating, as you know our body stores a lot of fluid, a lot of water, so sometimes it's good to like rid that out. It boosts the immune system, it improves circulation and detoxification, and supports digestion and gut health. So by doing it around your stomach especially, your digestion kind of like starts moving better. I either go to a spa to do this or I just do it myself at home. Search up a YouTube tutorial; it's probably way better than me trying to explain this. And another way to get all of those benefits and stimulate the lymphatic system is to do a dry brush massage. It's supposed to improve your circulation and just make your body feel better. And always, always, always make sure that you are brushing towards the heart, so in upward movements wherever that may be. Don't use the dry brush on your face; I feel like that's pretty self-explanatory, but if you do want to do something similar to your face, just use your knuckles. This is what I do, and I go like this every morning, and it really helps get rid of that puffy face that you get in the mornings. Or using like a little gua sha tool is really good as well.

Let's move on to the food section of self-care. Now, the first is to take your vitamins. Okay, there's no way that we're getting all the nutrients that our bodies need throughout the day from just the food we eat. Make sure you do some research or ask your doctor for what kind of vitamins you actually need because overtaking vitamins is also never good. I'd also say, when doing your research, focus on the things that you struggle with. So if your hair is constantly falling out, what vitamins are going to help with that? Some common vitamins that a lot of people take are magnesium—which there's two different kinds of magnesium; the first one is magnesium glycinate; this is a very common one for muscle relaxation and sleep, so this is the one that you take before bed usually—and then magnesium citrate is the one for digestion but also muscle relaxation, actually. Now that I'm looking, there's like five kinds of magnesiums, so just make sure you buy the right one at the store. D3 is another common one; I call it the sunshine vitamin because we get vitamin D from the sun. Omega-3 fish oil is the one that I am sleeping on; I need to actually get some, but this is something that you get from like eating salmon. Omega-3 is great for the skin, great for skin elasticity; it also helps with eczema, if you struggle with that, then I would recommend looking into omega-3 fish oil. And the last one I think everyone should be taking is probiotics for your gut health. I feel like everyone's gut health is messed up recently because of just how processed our food is. Probiotics are very different from prebiotics and antibiotics. Now, if you don't feel comfortable taking a probiotic pill, then try eating more probiotic-rich foods because these are going to be really good for restoring your gut health as well—kefir, it's kind of like a yogurt, kimchi, bone broth, unsweetened plain yogurt, sauerkraut, or kombucha. I've also heard it's good to pair probiotics with prebiotics, like garlic, onions, bananas, and oats.

Say yes to whole foods and no to processed foods. I know that it's hard to make that switch, and I know that not everyone can control what they eat because like your family can cook for you, but somewhat processed foods include frozen fruit and vegetables, canned beans, and nut butters. Make sure to watch for those extra sugars or oils. And then processed foods include frozen food, period; sugar, sweeteners, granola, all those bagged snacks, sodas, flavored drinks, anything artificial, and any kind of like processed meat, like hot dogs, sausages. So obviously this is very hard to cut out completely; I'd say just learn to do it in moderation rather than that having be like the food that you rely on, you know. Stop trying to eat less; it is so unhealthy to be limiting your food intake when food is what your body needs to function normally and to be energized throughout the day. Stop tracking your numbers—your weight, your calories, even your steps—throughout the day; it is not good to be so reliant on numbers and then feeling so bad about yourself about not hitting a certain number and a certain goal. We're all human; it's going to be natural to not get 10K steps every day and feeling like you had to because TikTok said so. Do not go that hard on yourself because you're causing your self-care journey to be a negative one more than it is a positive one. Your mindset should be that you are doing this to feel good rather than to look good for anyone but yourself. And always make sure that you are listening to your body when eating, but also during workout classes. Sometimes workout classes can be so tough where you're trying to keep up with the whole class and you just can't do it; you're out of breath. Always be listening to yourself first rather than the instructor because you're the only one that knows your body best. Make sure to always reach a happy level of full when you're eating so that you're not hungry afterward and you're not undereating, but also that you're not overeating so that you feel really, really heavy afterward and you feel like it's hard to move. And also try eating according to your cycle. So on your cycle, for example, you want to eat more like cooked foods—so cooked vegetables, potatoes, um, soups, and anything that's going to make you feel like warm and cozy inside—whereas on other parts of your cycle where you're more energized—like some, I forget what it's called, like the luteal phase or whatever—it may be better to like eat a salad then because your body is just going to be in a completely different phase.

And the last section of this video is mental care. So obviously this entire video concludes to mental care being the most important one. So you want to make sure that you're always getting eight hours of sleep; no exceptions. Sleep is such a big factor to the way your skin looks, the way your energy levels are throughout the day, the way your digestive system works, and how good your body is at processing food—everything that your body has to do with—and even like the way you think has to do with your sleep. Start stretching every morning and night; this is a great thing to just like wake up your body in the mornings; it gives you so much more energy to do this like at the beginning of your day. And also the slower stretches to like ease into bed; it's just a really good habit that I've started including in my routine, so I thought I'd share. Stop going on your phone first thing in the morning; you don't even know how quickly your brain can absorb so much unnecessary information; it's crazy. But even like a text that I see in the first 30 seconds of waking up can alter my entire mood throughout the day. Also, make sure to turn your phone away from yourself if you're looking at it at night because the blue light is going to disrupt your sleep; it's not good for you whatsoever. Turn off your notifications; protect your peace. Any little text nowadays is kind of like a little stimulant to like pick up your phone and go on it again. Why would you want to be getting distracted from your main train of thought? Daily movement and getting fresh air every day is such a basic but good thing that you can do for yourself long term.

Stop the negative self-talk. Do affirmations, do journaling, do anything that's going to help you feel better about yourself because you're going to be stuck with yourself for the rest of your life; you're going to be stuck with your body for the rest of your life, so why are you still hating on yourself? Treat yourself how you would treat your partner; treat yourself how you would treat someone you really, really, really, really love. Why aren't you doing that to yourself first? You love first, and then you love everyone else because you're the person that's going to carry you to your grave. You also don't even realize it, but things like stress, like anything mental, can have a massive effect on how your body even looks. So for me, when I'm stressed, my skin starts breaking out. So focus on that mental first, and then you'll see that the physical will follow. Frequency music—if you don't know—is such a lifesaver. I've started replacing my regular music sometimes throughout the day with frequency sounds because it just makes me so relaxed and happy. Also, stop comparing your health journey to other people's; you don't know how many years they've been training.

Their abs, for example, for them to get a six-pack. And lastly, start doing no phone activities as actual rest. I know it's easy to scroll on TikTok when you're at a break at work and you think that's going to like help you rest, but it's not going to rest your brain.

Things that will help you rest your brain are reading, puzzles, board games, drawing, and dancing. Actual rest is not going to be anything that stimulates your brain. Even going for a walk with no phone, no music, nothing to stimulate your brain is going to be better rest than scrolling on TikTok.

And that is it for my video. I hope you guys learned something new. I really hope this helped you. If you have any more questions, then feel free to comment them down below. And if you're not subscribed already, consider subscribing. I love you so so much, and I hope I'll see you in my next video. Bye. [Music]