Your posture is an indication of your personality, and like your diet, it correlates with what’s going on with your body. If your posture is centered and balanced, you are more likely to be a centered and balanced person. On the other hand, if your posture is slouchy and distorted, something is out of balance.

Marilu’s on the set right now and she’s defining her new character’s personal style with her wardrobe. Check out this all new video shot in her trailer!

Want to take the THM® Wardrobe Class? There’s still time to sign up! Click here to find out more and sign up now.

Get ready to revamp your wardrobe, redefine or define for the first time, your own personal style and have fun in the process.

Come join us as you define your own style to fit the many facets of your life.

~ Coach Beth Miriam

Class starts today! Sign up now and you won’t miss a thing.

Brush your dry skin in an elongated motion toward your heart for 1-2 minutes every morning – before you shower or exercise. Use a natural bristle brush designed for dry skin brushing – Marilu’s favorite is the Yerba Prima Tampico Skin Brush (it has a removable handle and perfect bristles).

Start with your feet and ankles, and work your way up the body to your calves and thighs. Really concentrate on brushing the lymphatic areas of your body (the backs of your knees, your inner thighs, under your arms, and inside your elbows) to stimulate those glands and get them started on flushing toxins.

Gently brush up your stomach and tush, shoulders and back. Last, do your hands and move up your arms. Make sure you cover the entire surface of your body, excluding your breasts and face.

The brushing should not irritate you, but it will feel rough (so be gentle to start!). It may take a couple of days to get used to it, but if you hang in there, you will feel the difference in your skin in less than a week.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Find ways to bring beauty into your daily life. Put a vase of flowers by your kitchen sink or in the bathroom (you know, where you’ll spend time… what good do they do in the formal dining room?). Frame and hang a photo or print you love. Use your favorite fragrance; don’t save it for “good.” Garnish your plates at mealtime – a slice of citrus fruit, a sprig of herb, a sprinkle of sliced almonds or sunflower seeds. Light candles for dinner (even pizza). Smile.

//www.marilu.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/05 - All This Beauty.mp3

*pssst – Share the song with your mom and other special women in your life. They bring beauty to the world, too!

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

1. Remove any old polish. For natural nails, use a non-acetone remover. Cotton balls work better than tissues.
2. File your nails to desired shape. Try a shortish nail, straight across the top with rounded edges. File your nails in one direction starting at the edges and moving toward the top.
3. Soak your hands and feet in warm (not hot) soapy water for 4-5 minutes to soften cuticles. Use a pumice stone on your feet after they’ve soaked – get rid of the thicker skin and callouses.
4. Dot some olive oil (or almond oil or jojoba oil) on the cuticles and rub in.
5. Use an orange wood stick or popsicle stick to push back cuticles. Don’t cut your cuticles, which can cause infection and damage the nail.
6. Exfoliate your hands and feet with a body scrub or mixture of olive oil and kosher salt or raw sugar. Scrub for two to three minutes, then wash thoroughly. Don’t exfoliate newly shaved legs – yikes! Plan to shave later.
7. Massage your hands and feet with shea butter cream, or another favorite hand cream or lotion. Use the thumb and first finger of one hand to massage each finger of the other hand, starting at the base of the finger and massaging out toward the tip. Do the same with your toes.
8. Wipe your nails with a damp cloth to remove excess oils.
9. Apply a base coat and allow it to dry for 1-2 minutes.
10. Apply two thin coats of your favorite color, allowing them to dry between coats. Always apply polish by starting on the side of the nail. You should be able to cover the nail in three stokes, one on each side and one in the middle.
11. Apply a top coat and allow it to dry. Quick-dry top coats usually chip faster, so if you want your manicure to last longer, use a regular top coat.

Need a shorter routine?
Remove old polish, use olive oil on your cuticles, and massage lotion into your hands.

Need easy maintenance?
Choose a light color for the polish.

Photo by Alexsandro Pereira

The next time you’re in front of a full-length mirror, turn to the side, stand as you normally do, and look at your posture. Now draw an imaginary vertical line from the top of your head to the floor – with the front half of your body on one side, and the back half of your body on the other side. What’s hanging out the front? (maybe your head and shoulders? maybe your stomach?) What’s hanging out the back? (maybe your booty?) Notice how the front half and the back half are “weighted” about equally.

Now stand up straight, as though that imaginary line were a string, pulling your spine straight up. Notice how the front half and the back half get narrower. Isn’t that nice? Keep that in mind the next time you want to make a “thin” impression.

There a few themes for a home spa day – hydration, exfoliation, and relaxation. Of course you can add other things, like a mani-pedi, or experimenting with your makeup, or deep conditioning your hair. We’re going to stick with the basics, so you can fit this midwinter refresh into a normal day (not an overscheduled one – this will fill up a few hours).

• Start your day with a glass of cool (not cold) water.
• Skin brush before your shower to exfoliate your skin and stimulate your lymph system.
• Moisturize before you dry off.
• Make yourself a cup of your favorite tea – chamomile is relaxing, but drink what you like. Drink tea or cool water through the day.
• Spend at least an hour doing something relaxing – read a book or a magazine, watch a favorite movie, take a nap (yes!), listen to a calming playlist, daydream.
• Set aside an hour before bed to continue your spa day.
• Wash your face and use a favorite facial mask.
• Take a baking soda bath for 20 minutes.
• Moisturize your hands and feet with a thick moisturizer, and put on cotton socks and gloves (wear them all night).
• Have a glass of cool water before bed.

Would your chin be jutting forward?
Would your shoulders be rounded?
Would you be slumped in your chair?

Is that how you would want to be stuck forever?

Sit up. You look maaaahvelous, dahling.

Hair & Make-Up at Numb3rs Set from Marilu on Vimeo.

Marilu refers to the “Blue Book” in this video – that’s the nickname of The 30 Day Total Health Makeover
. (The cover is blue… and long, long ago, on a server far, far away, the members of Marilu.com created the nickname because it was easier to type.)

A peach pencil is great for hiding flaws. We all have ‘em – it’s good to know how to hide ‘em.