self-care is the new black

I never really understood what self-care meant until somewhat recently. If I woke up, brushed my teeth, showered daily (ok, sometimes every other day), and ate to fuel myself - wasn't that enough self-care? In a way, yes, that is taking care of my minimal needs as a human in society today. But that does not even begin to cover the kind of self-care I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is the self-care that fuels your soul, not just your body. The self-care that relaxes you like nothing else, makes you feel nourished, whole, and ready to give love back into the world. Seem too lofty to achieve? I'm telling you - it's possible, and it will take your happiness to a whole new level. 

Let's start with this thought (it's the one that made me realize how true self-care makes me feel). How do you feel on your birthday? I know, birthdays are sometimes stressful and oftentimes people hate them because they don't like to be reminded of their impending mortality. But what if you just thought of your most perfect day: What would you be doing? Who would you be with? What would you be eating? How would you be feeling? And then imagine this perfect day happens to fall on your birthday (a day to celebrate you), with no outside stressors involved. Just you and your perfect day and anyone who YOU choose to be involved in this happiness. 

When I first thought about this, here's how I decided my day would go:

1) Wake up (without an alarm) feeling well-rested and happy (because happiness is a choice, after all).

2) Slowly get ready for my day - brush my teeth, put on an outfit that makes me feel my best, go through my usual skincare and light makeup routine.

3) Go on a beautiful stroll outside with my boyfriend to our local coffee shop. Take the longer route, the one that allows us to walk alongside the water. Get an almond milk latte and a yummy chocolate chip sea salt cookie to split. Enjoy the said latte and cookie on a bench outside, talking, laughing, soaking in the sunshine. 

4) Walk back home. Meet up with my mom to get a manicure at our favorite all-natural salon, Jin Soon. Have thoughtful conversation - reminisce on growing up, catch up with each other, talk about fun future plans.

5) Come home to my bright apartment and throw together a delicious, nourishing meal for me, my boyfriend, mom, dad, brother and brother's girlfriend. If cooking doesn't feel like something I want to do, order in from one of our favorite spots and feast on this lovely lunch together.

6) Relax on the couch with my favorite people by my side. It's been a busy morning, and sitting and recharging feels right this afternoon. Once my family leaves, I enjoy some me-time. I light my favorite candle,  put on a face mask, and either listen to a podcast I love or browse through a wellness book.

7) A few hours later, throw on some (all-natural) lip color, freshen up, and head out to an early dinner with my best girlfriends. Be fully present while at dinner - enjoy the company, the food I'm eating, and appreciate the place we are in now. 

8) Come home after dinner. Wash my face and put on my favorite face oil. Snuggle up on the couch with my boyfriend and put on a TV show we both enjoy (current favorites: Big Little Lies, This is Us, Santa Clarita Diet, Girls). While we are watching, we snack on healthy goodies - for me, it's most likely chocolate coconut butter cups and a kombucha. 

Now, that may seem like a whole lot of activity in one day. And truth be told - it is! Although this list contains many of my favorite activities, I would not try to (nor would I be able to) go through this exact day every single day. Sometimes my favorite days consist of only doing one of the things I listed above. And sometimes I have the best days when I do none of the above, and instead listen to what my body and mind need and want. Similar to eating, your intuition will guide you to partake in your ideal self-care on any specific day. Listen to what your intuition is telling you, because it is smarter than you think. A trick to begin this process is to figure out what makes you happy and what makes you feel both at peace and excited at the same time. Once you pinpoint these activities, people, or things that contribute to this feeling, start to incorporate these into your daily life as much as you can. It is also important to note that self-care does not need to involve a ton of planning, money, or even time. Most of the things that make me the happiest are simple: spending quality time with people I love, savoring a yummy drink or snack, or having some me-time on the couch. One key to happiness is finding pleasure and excitement in the little things. Allow the small things that happen (or you make happen) each day in your life to shape your positive well-being. 

I attended a talk at Follain last month where Jessa Blades spoke about self-care and how it can truly heal your body. One of her tips was to add more fun to your life. Fun can take many forms and does not mean you have to go running off to an amusement park (which sounds like a nightmare to me, but each person is different). It can be as simple as buying pretty edible flowers to throw on top of your morning smoothie, dancing to your favorite song when no one is watching, or using a brush to apply your face mask instead of your fingers for an in-home spa-like experience. Write down what sounds fun to you, and spark your happiness using this list. I can almost guarantee that if you do those things, your body will feel lighter and the world will seem a bit brighter.

Self-care at its core is taking care of yourself. But taking care of yourself goes way beyond basic needs - as society becomes more complex and so do we, we owe ourselves some introspection to realize what makes us happy. Take some time to recognize these things and do them often. We all deserve to feel nourished, whole and happy - the good news is that you have all of the power in your own hands to do so.

xx

my journey to non-toxic beauty

My journey was not a long one, to say the least. Well, it was a long time coming - but the actual transition happened much faster than I had imagined. I thought it'd take me weeks, months, even a year to wean off of my beloved Nars concealer stick, Make Up For Ever blush, Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner and Dior mascara. But the day I switched over to natural beauty products, I zipped up my makeup bag filled with all of my go-tos and haven't opened it since. 

Ever since I started to become knowledgable on nutrition and how what you eat affects how you feel (another post coming soon on this), it made me feel weird knowing I was coating my face and body with toxic chemicals. After long hours of research (anyone else have those late nights awake googling things?) and truly looking into the ingredients of my favorite products, I knew it would be best for my health to transition to the non-toxic side.

I wasn't always this way - growing up, I used to get angry at my mom if she "accidentally" bought the organic brand of something - whether it was food, shampoo, or even cleaning supplies. For some reason, it's a common misconception that organic and natural is synonymous with ineffective. Well mom, you were onto something (as mom's usually are), and I wish I had listened to you then and accepted those non-toxic items with ease. 

Fast forward to the summer of 2016. I was in Los Angeles for a few weeks on a work trip, and finally living my dream of being a west coast gal. I decided that during this trip (even though I was working a lot of the time), I would really splurge and live that LA lifestyle I always wanted to experience. So during my free time, I frequented all of the yummy, nourishing plant-based restaurants (can you say Cafe Gratitude and Gracias Madre), got a manicure at Olive & June, a relaxing massage at The Now, and had Beaming Cafe acai bowls probably far too frequently than I should have. I was in absolute heaven and never wanted to leave - the self-care made me feel so refreshed, pure, nourished and even made me glow (or so my boyfriend says). It was during this trip that I decided the time was truly never better to make the switch to non-toxic skincare and beauty products.

During one of my last days in LA, I left my work site a bit early and walked over to The Detox Market. This was the store I've been thoroughly researching for months - I knew it had a wide assortment of brands to pick from and a variety of different skincare and beauty options, all non-toxic. When I walked in, I knew immediately that I was in the right place. The environment was bright, cheery, clean and welcoming. I think I looked a little overwhelmed because a store associate instantly came up to me and asked if I could use some help. "Yes! I am looking to buy non-toxic swaps for ALL of my current products," I exclaimed with both excitement and nerves. We went through each and every one of the products I use daily and she recommended her favorites, as well as let me test out as many products as I wanted. I am not exaggerating when I say I was in that store for over 2 hours. I walked around and picked up every single product, looked at the ingredients, smelled, felt, and experienced it all until I knew I was confident in the product choices I was making. I even called my colleague to come meet me there - in that moment, I wanted to share this gem of a store and my excitement with everyone I knew. I left that evening with a bag full of new products and a hop in my step (ok, and a small dent in my wallet - but worth every penny)!

So here's what I ended up getting that fateful day (and my thoughts on each product!), as I'm sure you may be curious:

• Josh Rosebrook Tinted Nutrient Day Cream with SPF 30: My intentions for getting this cream was to start wearing SPF each day (another thing my mom told me years ago that I ignored). This cream would not only serve as a moisturizer, but also a sun protector, and a bit of a foundation with its light, glowy sheen. This product has not disappointed! I use it every single day and it has transformed my skin.
• Province Apothocary Invigorating + Balancing Toner: I wasn't previously using a toner but the store associate suggested this one to me. I really enjoyed the freshness this toner gave my skin, but have since finished the bottle and am trying out some other brands.
• Lily Lolo Black Vegan Mascara: I LOVE this mascara! I was not naturally blessed with thick and long lashes, so finding a good natural mascara was really important for me. This one did the trick and didn't flake off by the end of the day. I have since been getting eyelash extensions (which I could not love more!) so I no longer need to use mascara, but I highly recommend this one.
• Tata Harper Volumizing Lip and Cheek Tint: This product is the best. I was nervous to replace my signature pink cream Make Up For Ever blush, and this one turned out to be so much better. It's the perfect pink (I got it in "Very Charming") and has a really pleasant smell. I love using this on my cheeks for a pretty glowy flushed look, and my lips when I want a hint of color. Tata Harper is a solid non-toxic beauty brand, and is even found in big beauty retailers like Sephora.
• RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up: This is a great light concealer that you can also use as foundation. I love that it is sheer, doesn't cake up, and gives your skin a dewy feel. Still use this one daily and would definitely recommend. For a cover-up with more coverage (covers under-eye darkness like a pro), I recommend the W3LL People Bio Correct Multi-Action Concealer.
• W3LL People Bio Bronzer Stick: I was never big on powdered bronzers and always preferred a cream or gel. Enter this bio bronzer stick: the easiest way to apply (non-aggressive) color for a nice hint of bronze glow. The application is so easy and smooth that I've even started to experiment with contouring. This stick lasts a while and is a staple in my routine.
• Kahina Beauty Argan Oil: This high-quality, organic oil is a true skin nourisher. I have since run out of the bottle (and am experimenting with some other brands), but this was a solid first choice for a non-toxic face oil. As far as face oils go - the simpler and fewer ingredients, the better.
• Kaia Naturals Juicy Cloths To-Go: These are effective fresh smelling wipes for your face or body. I like to use these on my face immediately following a workout to avoid pimples from sweat. They are great to throw in your bag for on-the-go moments when you need a little freshening up!

Since my initial non-toxic beauty haul, I've tried a bunch of other brands and products that I have loved and incorporated into my beauty routine. Some are: RMS Beauty Oil (has superfood ingredients like turmeric + ashwagandha to nourish and brighten your skin), Vapour Organic Beauty Mesmerize Eyeliner (simple replacement for a black eyeliner stick), Jane Iredale PureBrow Brow Gel (my brows are pretty fine and this fills them in, in a subtle way), Savor Beauty Brightening Pumpkin Renew Serum (smells amazing and feels so good on your skin), Cocokind MyMatcha Moisture Stick (swear by this - I use it under my eyes to reduce puffiness + on my lips), Herbivore Coco Rose Body Polish (for the most spa-like scrub experience in your own home), and Lulu Organics Hair Powder (dry shampoo is a must for me). Finding natural beauty products that work amazing and make you look and feel amazing brings me so much excitement. A new all-natural beauty and skincare store, Follain, recently opened up across the street from my office. Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately?), I won't have to trek across the country to discover and pick up non-toxic products anymore. 

Making the switch to non-toxic beauty does not need to be as all-in as my story was. Maybe the next time you find your concealer is running low, you can do some research on what works best for you and find a non-toxic replacement to purchase instead. I know from my own experience that this switch was life-changing and something that needed to happen for me. My skin has never been glowier, I've been getting much fewer breakouts, and my wrinkles (yes, I do have some wrinkles at the ripe age of 25) are softer and more supple. I feel overall so much better about what I'm nourishing my body with from the outside.

If you need any recommendations or have any questions about transitioning to non-toxic products, please feel free to reach out! I am here to support and encourage your natural glowiness in all ways.

xx