Every now and then you just want to snack on something salty. Everyone has those moments where they just NEED a pretzel or a potato chip or something else nice and salty. How can you satisfy that craving without throwing yourself entirely off track on your healthy eating plan?

Here is a few of my favorite salty snacks you can keep on-hand to get you through the day and keep you away from the drive-thru or vending machine:

1.      Cucumber Chips:  When I am craving the salty crunch of a potato chip, I reach for a cucumber instead. Slice it up and sprinkle the slices with some kosher or sea salt. You get the salt and the crunch without the fat and oils!

2.      Hummus: use celery, cucumber, zucchini or carrots to scoop about ¼ cup of hummus. It’s a nice thick salty treat that will keep you feeling fuller longer and won’t end with you feeling guilty the way you do after raiding a bag of chips.

3.      Popcorn: You read that correctly. Popcorn is actually VERY healthy if you manage to avoid the oils and butters that people normally drown it in. It is high in fiber, heart-smart and can have even more antioxidants than many fruits and vegetables. Keep it air-popped and sprinkle with kosher or sea salt and enjoy!

4.      Olives: Grab a small handful of olives and go for it! They have been shown to help prevent heart disease, some kinds of cancer, reduce inflammation from arthritis and even help with asthma!

5.      Edamame: Relax if you can’t pronounce it – it’s really just a fancy way of saying green soybeans that have been boiled. These are a wonderful source of protein, iron, calcium, fiber and some amazing anti-oxidants!

6.      Mozzarella and tomatoes: The naturally occurring salt in an ounce of buffalo mozzarella is normally enough to satisfy even the deepest salt cravings. Pair it with the sweetness of a few cherry tomatoes and you’ve got yourself a healthy salty-sweet snack that feels wonderfully decadent.

7.      Prosciutto: I wouldn’t recommend this one if you are pregnant or have a sensitive stomach. This ham is salt-cured and served uncooked. A slice or two will whip that craving without a problem. It’s also wonderful wrapped around your favorite fruit or veggie!

8.      Almonds: Consumers have new reasons to enjoy almonds as researchers have recently announced that nuts not only taste good, but they're also good for you. Almonds are low in saturated fat and contain many other protective nutrients for strong bones, vitamin E and compounds called phytochemicals, which may lower cancer, help protect against cardiovascular disease, reduce heart attack risk and even cancer. About 20-25 almonds (approximately one ounce) contain as much calcium as 1/4 cup of milk! Yum!

There is no real need to feel guilty, salt is healthy and necessary for our bodies to function properly. The key is self-control. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you are enjoying too much salt, you can dehydrate our bodies. Make sure you are drinking at least 64 oz. of purified water - every day, to flush out and hydrate our systems and to keep your body working just the way it should.

Remember – small changes are what make a real difference in your life over time. Replacing a bag of potato chips with one of these healthier tasty options can be an easy step towards a healthier, leaner you!

There isn’t much that can top a red lip in terms of sex appeal, but it’s always such a pain to keep up with throughout the night. Long-wear lipstick gets too dry, gloss bleeds everywhere, and lipstick fades away – so what’s a girl to do? Follow these four simple steps and the perfect red pout can be yours!

1)     In order to prevent bleeding and fading around the center of lips, apply a lip liner in a shade similar to your lipstick. We like Paula Dorf’s Lip Liner in Sultry. Make sure to fill in the entire lip, not just the perimeter.

2)     Using a brush, such as the Eye/Lip Brush from Youngblood, carefully apply a base layer of lipstick. Chanel’s Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Colour in Gabrielle is a gorgeous classic red.

3)     Very gently apply a layer of a translucent powder. This works really well if you lightly place a tissue over your lips and then tap the powder on, creating a sheet of protection.

4)     For the final step, apply another coat of Chanel’s Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Colour in Gabrielle using the Eye/Lip Brush from Youngblood.

By filling the entire lip in with liner, the first layer of lipstick has something to hold onto, the powder seals it in, and you’re left with the perfect red pout that lasts all night!

With the film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, hitting theatres next week, we thought we’d help put you in the spirit by showcasing some of the 1920s most celebrated scents. Here are some scents as well loved as Fitzgerald’s most famous novel, and so glamorous, even Daisy Buchanan would wear them.

Chanel No. 5 (1921) – The first perfume created by Parisian designer, Coco Chanel, Chanel No. 5 has remained a bestselling fragrance over 90 years after its debut.  The perfume’s top notes include aldehydes, bergamot, lemon, neroli and ylang-ylang, while the middle notes include jasmine, rose and lily of the valley.  When combined with the base notes of vetiver, sandalwood, vanilla, amber and patchouli, Chanel No. 5 takes on a feminine, yet powerful scent that has made it an enduring classic. 

Caron’s Nuit De Noel (1922) For a more exotic fragrance, try Nuit de Noel by Caron.  The top notes include ylang-ylang, rose and jasmine, while the middle and bottom notes include sandalwood, oak moss, musk and amber.  Inspired by the roaring twenties, Nuit de Noel has a woodsy scent that evokes the magic of Christmas.    

Guerlain’s Shalimar (1925) Said to be the world’s first oriental fragrance, Shalimar was inspired by the love story between Emperor of Mughali, Shah Jahan, and his Empress, Mumtaz Mahal (for whom Jahan had the Taj Mahal constructed). Shalimar’s warm scent, sometimes compared to that of lemon cookies, is derived from its combination of bergamot, lemon, jasmine, rose, iris, incense, opopanax, tonka beam and vanilla.

One spritz of any of these classic scents, and you’re ready for a night out as extravagant as the parties Gatsby so often threw.