Why Try Barry's Bootcamp

{via}

So, this past weekend my cousin enlisted her sister and I in the Barry's Bootcamp experience that she has fallen in love with in West Hollywood. As a fitness blogger and overall fit junkie, I was automatically interested in this new form of fitness that promises a massive calorie burn, but I was also interested on a personal level. Since my cousin started going to Barry's, she has had a massive transformation. Jessica has some of the most perfect legs around and is known in our family as having gams of a super model- whatever she is doing to get them, I am down for... Especially if it means getting my legs to look a bit more svelt.

{via}

In case you are unfamiliar with Barry's, it is a massive cardio/weights workout that has been running since the late 90's and boasts clientele including Kim Kardashian, Amanda Seyfried, and Jessica Biel. Each class lasts about 50-minutes with sound barrier-breaking music and more sweat than you could imagine. Seriously.

The class had a similar flow to certain Orange Theory workouts with alternating 15-minute treadmill and weights workouts. Our fitness instructor/drill sergeant/man I began to hate, Derek DeGrazio (shown above), was relocated from West Hollywood to South Beach when this branch opened. He was a great introduction to Bootcamp since he gave great instruction and enough encouragement to last the whole class... Although he did make me feel like anything less than a 10 speed on the treadmill was child's play.

{via}

Treadmill workouts were some intense intervals that range from a Sunday stroll to 10+ speed and 12% inclines. Weights range from 5-20+ pounds, but we were told to have women pick up the 8-10 and men get the 10-20. To be honest, I cheated and took the fivers about half-way through the second floor set. Of course, the intensity of the workout is completely up to you, but get ready to feel like a five-year-old sissy baby for not giving it your all.

I gave it my all. In fact, I was as drenched with sweat after the class as I am after a hot yoga class and had insta-sore abs. The workout is for sure intense and the promises of burning 1,000 calories in 50-minutes are no snake oil lies. Sadly, my HRM broke right before the trip, so I was unable to know exactly how many calories were toasted, but knowing my body and how it feels after certain workouts, I would say we were right around 800 calories burned. This is massive, especially since it was a toning workout as much as a cardio, fat burning session. This is seriously great for all those girls (and guys) who like to feel like they left it all on the mat. If you enjoy a massive sweat session that leaves you feeling inta-sore with an internal fat incinerator, you will like this.

No, I am not able to go to Barry's every day, or even, once a week, but I will be making this a regular class when visiting Miami, London, Norway, Sweden, or L.A.

{via}

All gym equipment, mats, mirrors, and floors are seriously wiped down and deodorized by the fine Barry's staff, so you have to worry about absolutely no clean up. This is super great considering that I was way too tired to properly clean everything and way too much of a pessimist to think the rando before me did a good enough job. I sincerely thank all of the Barry's staff for cleaning up the evidence of our hard work so that we do not have to! That is a job that I love, love, love someone else having!

Now, that I have tried Barry's Bootcamp, I am also inspired me to try the local Orange Theory- a similar treadmill/weights workout that promises between 500 and 1,000 calories burned per class. I will be sure to have a working HRM and seriously test that calorie burn.

Oh, and did I mention that all the lights have an orange hue so that you do not look like the giant red hot mess that you are? Yes, that is quite the massive perk to all those who turn the color of a raspberry at any cardio output.

How to Easily Contour Your Face

{via}

I have recently become a bit obsessed with facial contouring and have been telling almost anyone about it. Facial contouring is one of the best secrets ever for getting higher cheekbones, thinner noses, and a more pronounced jaw line; in fact, I would choose my daily contouring techniques over eye make-up or foundation. Yea, it does that much.

For those of us who do not relish the idea of chisels and surgical knives, contouring is the best way for us to get those Hollywood-like results without the Hollywood pain and recovery and price tag.

For Under The Eyes

Lighteners can work in many different ways. One of the best ways is to use a slightly lighter foundation under the eyes. I tend to follow the same 2-4 shades lighter rule for this as well. When applying, apply around the occipital bone from the inner corner of the eye diagonally down to the top of the cheekbone, then follow the cheekbone up until you reach the outer corner of the eye. Then, blend and begin with the rest of your contouring/make-up doing. Easy peasy.

For the Cheeks

Shadowing

Almost everyone knows that we can contour our face to get higher cheekbones. A lot of people will use a bronzer or dark colored blush for this. Instead, try a dark shadow color or a concealer/foundation that is 2-4 shades darker than your natural skin color. Bronzers usually have light reflecting qualities that can diffuse the shadowing effect.

Another great tip I recently learned about contouring those cheeks is to have the darkest area be where your hairline begins and the lightest area be below the cheekbone, directly under the center of your eye. Keep it looking natural by not bringing the darker color beyond the lightest point.

Highlighting

To really make your cheeks pop, use a light shimmer powder above the cheekbones and below the darker, shadowed area talked about above. Often times, highlighting will do more for our face than shadowing ever could. I use a highlighter that is about 3 shades lighter than my natural skin color and follow the same rules as for shadowing. Highlighter should be applied atop the cheekbone from the hairline and no farther in the center of the face than the center point of the eye. If this is not making too much sense, watch this video where he explains exactly what I mean :)

Once the highlighting and shadowing are done, take a powder brush and blend them together by using a circular motion towards the hairline. This will keep it looking natural instead of like an alien.

Jaw Line

If you, like 97% of us,  were not blessed with Audrey Hepburn's jawline, do not fret, it can still happen. To get a more defines jawline, use the darker shadow that you used to shadow the cheekbones. Apply the shadow at the jawline starting under the ear and going to the same mid line of the face. This on may need to  be blended a bit extra so it does not look like a foundation flaw. To keep it from looking funny, only apply the shaow to the underside of the jawline.

Lips

Yep, lips can be contoured to, and often are. To get a more pouty bottom lip, use an eyeliner pencil that is 5-6 shades darker than your natural skin color and draw a half centimeter line directly under the middle of your lower lip. blend this line in a little and it should give the appearance of being a shadow.

To make the upper lip look a little more voluptuous, use a lighter concealer or foundation directly above the center of the upper lip. This will make the upper lip appear to come out farther on the face. For those wanting a little extra, get a lip pencil that is 2 shades darker than your natural lip color or your preferred lipstick color. Apply the pencil to the outer corners of the bottom and top lip, making sure to stop about a third the way in. Blend this, then add a dot of the lighter concealer used under your eyes on the center of your lower lip. Apply lip gloss and enjoy those new, pouty lips! 

Nose

What we have all been waiting for. This was the first method of contouring that I ever learned and it is still my favorite today. To get a thinner appearing nose, draw a line with the lighter concealer used on the under eyes and lips on the thinnest part of the nose. The line should begin at the tip of the nose and end at the point between the eyebrows. Blend this line.

Next, get a contouring pencil or a brown or black eyeliner pencil depending on your skin tone. Even though I am quite pale, I use a dark gray eyeliner pencil for this since my skin is not as rosy as the brown pencil makes it look. Draw a light line on either side of your nose just beside where the concealer is applied. The line should begin at the nostrils and end just below the eyes. The closer the lines are to the mid point of the nose, the slimmer the nos will look.

Be sure to blend this look completely or your will be stuck with some pretty interesting explaining to do ;)