What’s your take on juice cleanses? Are they healthy or harmful? Is there a “right” and “wrong” way to do them?
Alix here…I’m a big fan of cold pressed green juice and I’m a regular at our local Pressed, but I am not a fan of juice cleanses. Our body is well equipped with kidneys and a liver to do all the detoxification we need. Juice cleanses are low in calories (aka energy!), protein, essential fatty acids, and fiber and usually pretty high in sugar. Weight loss will likely occur because of the caloric restriction, but it’s not sustainable and the weight will likely come back after the cleanse and may even result in a binge once you’re “allowed” to eat solid foods again. So what has this really taught you about healthful eating habits? I think juices can be a fun addition to your diet, but not a replacement for a meal or days worth of meals. I plan to do a more in depth post on cleanses in the future…stay tuned.
I see you both wearing choker necklaces in some of your insta pics and I love them! Where did you get yours?
Heather: Mine is by Gorjana and I wear it almost every day and layer it with my Maya Brenner initial necklace (I have a J and a C for my kids).
Alix: Mine is from Stella Dot love it and I also wear it almost daily either solo or will layer with other SD necklaces like this or this.
I need a new bath robe and heard Barefoot Dreams has a good one but is it worth the price?
Heather here.. I have two Barefoot Dreams robes (one was gifted to me) and they’re worth the hype. I wear one every single day.. even in the summer months. I have this one in grey, I’ve seen this one on a fav blogger of mine and it’s SO cute (love the print), and this one is currently on sale.. snag it! But let’s say that spending over $80 on a robe just isn’t your thing.. I don’t blame you. My second favorite robe of all time comes from Gap Body but they sell out quick.. I don’t even think I can find one online they go so fast. Next time you’re in a Gap, go to the Body section and if there’s a robe, GET IT. They’re inexpensive, too. Lastly, the hotel style robes from Pottery Barn are literal perfection and currently on sale here.
I’m 30 weeks pregnant and need a dress for my baby shower coming up but I haven’t found anything that I love. Can you send me a few ideas?
Check out ASOS maternity first because honestly, they have the most inexpensive but designer looking dresses. You don’t want to spend a ton on a dress you may never wear again unless you buy a larger size non-maternity dress that you could potentially wear after baby! These are the dresses I’m loving for a Spring/Summer baby shower: this blush tone one, this flowy maxi that could double for a Leith Nordstrom dress and this pink one shoulder number.
Alix: I will just add that I used Stitch Fix maternity and they sent me some great dresses for my baby showers. I sent them a message telling them exactly what I was looking for and I ended up keeping all the dresses they sent because they were all so cute!
I live in Seattle too and need a good spot for facials, botox, laser treatment, etc. Where do you ladies go for all things beauty?
Heather: I go to a couple of different spots for my treatments but Skin Spirit in U Village is my tried and true (go to Pinky for any sort of injection if that’s your thing). For laser and chemical peels, Nicki at Bellevue Laser and Cosmetic Center is a TRIP (like the funniest chick I’ve ever met) but a fantastic esthetician and will work wonders on your skin. I’ve never done a chemical peel but definitely want to start as I’ve heard this paired with micro needling and hydra facials will transform your skin. Definitely something I need to save for but you will never regret investing in your skin. If I ever get into a groove with these types of treatments, I’ll document and blog about my experience.
Alix: I’m obsessed with my girl Elana at Tangerine Spa for facials…I just did a 90 minute detox facial and it was so dreamy. It was basically like getting a massage and facial all in one and my skin has been looking great since. I’m planning to see her every month to keep things in check! She is also great at waxing, but I also like The Wax Bar in Laurelhurst and I see Stephanie for all my waxing needs. I’ve never done laser, but seriously looking into it and Skin Spirit, like Heather mentioned, is the spot!
What car seats do you use for your kids and do you like them/would you purchase them again?
Alix: We used the Uppababy Mesa infant car seat for Quinn because we also got the Uppababy Cruz stroller and its so nice to not have to deal with an adapter. The seat easily clicks in and out. The Uppababy is not the lightest on the market, but I liked how narrow it was for when I would be carrying her around in it. Once she outgrew that we got this Graco convertible carseat and have been pretty happy with it so far.
Heather: With Jackson, I used the Chicco Keyfit Infant car seat and while I liked it, it was kind of heavy. But it clicked into a lot of different stroller systems and gets one of the best ratings out of any carseat. With Cam, I switched to the Uppababy Mesa because it clicked into my Uppababy Vista stroller system easy peasy. You’ll want to get a carseat that adapts to your stroller so do your research. As my kids outgrew their infant seats, we transitioned them to the Maxi Cosi Convertible carseat. No complaints, easy to strip the material and throw in the wash and breathable/comfortable material for warmer months.
Do you use all “green” products in your home and if so, which products do you like the most? Any tips for transitioning to environmentally safe products and phasing out chemicals?
I (Alix) try to use “green” cleaning products, but definitely not 100%. Mrs. Meyers is my favorite kitchen spray and hand soap. The lavender smells so good! Not going to lie I still buy Lysol wipes to get my counters clean I just feel like they work the best to kill germs. I’m also obsessed with Magic Erasers...unsure how moms kept their walls white before these existed! Brands I also like are Method, Honest, and Seventh Generation. This is a cool app I recently found out about that you can check to see how your current products rate. I would say use up what you currently have and check it on this app to see how it rates. Maybe there is a “greener” option available you can test out. You can also make your own cleaners at home with simple ingredients. I made my own yoga mat cleaner once, but that didn’t last long because who has time for that. Kidding… if that’s your jam…check this out.
What teeth whitening do you use? Have you done professional treatment or use at home products?
Heather: I’ve done both.. professional and at home treatments. For at home/over the counter treatment, the Crest white strips are the best. I usually put some on in the afternoon while my kids are napping.. and leave them on for about an hour or so (2-3x a week). I also have trays that I got from a dentist office with whitening gel but they definitely take some getting used to (or maybe my teeth are just uber sensitive.. it’s like biting into an ice cream cone after I take them off). I have spent the money and received advanced teeth whitening in office at the dentist and I wouldn’t do it again.. I just don’t think it really worked. Crest White strips and whitening trays are the way to go.
Alix: I’m pretty basic over here and have only done the Crest strips Heather linked above. I don’t use as often as I should, but try to do it on Sunday evening while I have my fav face mask on 🙂 I’ve also heard you should drink your coffee out of a straw? That lasted me like a week…does it really help?
Thanks for stopping by and sending in your questions! Send us more at champagnetheory@gmail.com with subject Happy Hour! xx
