Eventually, I'm going to start a page that lists all the clean companies I have found, organized by category. I'm still getting my feet yet but have come to find some companies that I wanted to share with you. I've researched all of these and they are backed by some of the most influential "clean movement starters" such as Beautycounter & Goop. A few things I have been looking for on my search for cleaner products are the following:

• EWG Certified - this means that no ingredients in your products are of a health concern. After reading into this, shouldn't ALL the products we use be EWG Certified? Seems like a no brainer to me! Why would I want to use products that subject me to health issues?
• Ethically Sourced - By means of ethically sourced products, the companies have made it a point to source all ingredients ethically. No child labor, no harsh working conditions, etc. This is really important to me as I recently discovered that all of the world children mine for mica, a natural occurring mineral dust. This dust is used in our makeup, paints, on our cars, etc. 
• Leaping Bunny Certified - holds the gold-standard for cruelty-free certification! 

1. Briogeo | A black-owned business FYI! I tried Briogeo's 'deep conditioner' years ago - I want to say it arrived in one of my subscription boxes. I loved it! My hair was thoroughly conditioned and silky smooth. I think the only reason I haven't gone back to it was it was something I had to order online at at the time I preferred convenience over sustainability and quality. You can find Briogeo at Sephora! I have rounded up some products below that I am dying to try.

• Ethically Sourced
• Cruelty Free
• No parabéns, silicones, harsh sulfates, phthalates, artificial dyes, or DEA

2. Sangre de Fruta | I stumbled upon Sangre de Fruta on Goop. They market all-natural ingredients and their list of flowers, essential oils, and other shrubs is quite extensive. I can only imagine how incredible these products smell. They mentioned they source from all over the world to find the best quality products as well - I'm going to try and see how their products are sourced as well.

• Products are 100% pure with NO fillers, diluting oils, synthetic fragrances, or unnatural components of any kind.

3. Henry Rose | In search of 'clean' perfume, Henry Rose came up as one of the top options. Did you know Michelle Pfeiffer is the founder? I love the transparency they provide - it reminds me of Beautycounter's transparency!

• EWG Certified
• Cradle to Cradle Certified
• Cruelty Free
• No parabéns, phthalates, formaldehyde, known or suspected carcinogens, known or suspected endocrine disruptors
• Non-GMO

4. Reverie | Another brand I found on Goop, I'm curious to try this line of haircare products as well!

• Leaping Bunny Certified
• Vegan & Gluten Free
• Zero harsh chemicals or dyes
• Ethically Sourced

5. RMS Beauty | I was first introduced to RMS Beauty by Julia, one of my favorite bloggers, early last year. Intrigued by the "clean" stamp, I did some more research. They have a wide selection at Sephora

• Cruelty-Free
• Soy Free
• Gluten Free
• Non-GMO
• No harmful chemicals, synthetic preservatives, and synthetic vitamins

#Self-Care has been on trend since quarantine started by May. I think it's safe to say most people really evaluated how they take care of themselves and made sure to spend extra time during quarantine to do so. I have always spent time "taking care of me" in a sense...but never time to take care of the inner me.

What do I mean by this?

No lack of regard has been taken on my hair/skin/nails...ever since I can remember, I have always prioritized skincare, haircare, and nail care. I never really though, have prioritized my mind, body, soul so to speak. I always thought if I took care of the outside me, the inside would just work itself out. That's simply not the case. I realized last year that I have to prioritize time on the inner me, rather than the outer me.

Here's how I'm doing so:

1. Meditation or Gratitude Practice: I cannot stress either of these enough. This year (for most of us) has been cumbersome with turmoil - my mind runs rampant most of the time trying to figure out "what to do, or what's next." The only way I find that I can accomplish the tasks at hand, think logically through the day, rationalize certain situations, and prepare myself to handle anything else on-coming is by calming my mind. I do this through meditation or gratitude practice. My gratitude practice involves righting down my goals daily, writing down what I'm thankful for, journaling, praying, listening to uplighting music, and truly finding the positives the day has to offer.

I've tried Headspace before for meditation, if you are prone to anxiety, this app is incredible. Meditation or yoga are great ways to relieve your body of unwanted angst you are feeling and again, prepare your mind to tackle the day logically and rationally.

2. Finding Your Balance: As silly as it sounds, my balance is with nature. Whether I'm running or walking outside, I don't feel like myself if I don't do it...I feel off-balance. I've read somewhere that my Enneagram (1) loves to be "one with nature." This is so true! I feel rejuvenated and motivated. Running and exercising outdoors has become one of the only ways I can clear my head - it's truly for my sanity at this point.

Commit to finding your balance. Maybe it's taking a bath 3x a week with candles and nice salts/bubbles. Maybe it's a girl's night once a week or major cheat day on Friday with movies and food of choice. Maybe it's reading your favorite novels or listening to your favorite podcasts. You have to commit to finding that thing that makes you feel "whole" -- that makes you feel "balanced."

Similarly to when you have the capability of calming your mind, you are able to tackled your day with a renewed and rejuvenated mindset.

3. Fueling Your Body: You will (or already have) heard this time and time again - how you fuel your body is a direct reflection on how you are able to get through the day. Inner self-care is establish even more-so when you fuel your body with the proper nutrients it needs. It's the same thing as drinking water. Your body craves all the vitamins and nutrients it can get - when you deprive it of those things, it's naturally going to be unsynchronized and inharmoniously work against the ideal you have in your head of living a healthy lifestyle/practicing self-care.

I eat my fruits, vegetables, protein, and healthy carbs - and I drink water. There really is no way around this. Blend it together, drink it in a chocolate shake - just get your nutrients. Your mind will feel sluggish when you don't.

4. Sleep: I talked about sleep before but I know, when I'm stressed/anxious about the impeding, current situations - I need sleep. The only thing to rest my mind is to ensure I'm getting 7-8 hours of rest! That, or I will slip in a nap when I can. Even though I'm getting sleep, when I'm incredibly stressed I have insane dreams. I wake up slightly bamboozled but grateful for the night's rest. 😂

5. Listening To Your Mind/Body/Soul: When you've mastered all of the above, you will find yourself in a place where you will truly be able to listen to what your body needs. A few years ago, I would've never achieved this. I wasn't taking care of my body, I was eating like crap, sleeping on average 5 hours, I wasn't practicing gratitude, I wasn't exercising, etc., etc., etc.,

You can still prioritize yourself even if you are married, in a relationship, have children. Sleeping when your kids sleep, waking up an hour earlier than they do, getting your S.O. onboard to workout together or cook together. Find ways to incorporate the things your body needs in your daily life.

Over the weekend, I had a bird in my basement. How the bird got there is beyond me but I must preface with this house was built in the 1800's...I digress. The attempted rescue and evacuation mission to de-bird my home was exhausting and took over a day. You'd think it would be as easy as opening a window or door in the basement - wrong! I'm going to let you in on a little secret - I'm 100% an animal activist and would go lengths to save ducks, squirrels, birds, etc. With that being said, I don't necessarily want to touch all of those animals and the thought of one flying at my head is not pleasing. Where is this leading me? Well, I undoubtedly had a significant panic attack all while dressed in pineapple shorts, wellies, a neon winter hat, and gardening gloves trying to corner and catch the bird. It was one of those you laugh so hard you cry...or you cry so hard you laugh.
It's in those moments where the only thought in my head is "I wish I had a man in my life to take care of this."  Writing that statement made me tear up because it's sad, right? I recall a moment while attempting to catch the bird of myself saying, "I can do this, I don't need a man, I can totally do this!" And I don't. I'm in a place where I've had to navigate so many things that other women call their dad for, or their husband/fiancé/boyfriend handles. When my parents got divorced my mom and I had a huge learning curve trying to figure out all the "outdoor-things" that my dad handled. Before you use any judgmental thinking, rationalize this for me: if you blew a tire, who would you call? Who mostly does the yard work? If you had a pest or animal problem, who would take care of it? If your water heater went out, what would do? Did you remember to change your air filter or did your dad/husband/fiancé/boyfriend do it? What about a dishwasher leak or broken toilet? 
95% of you would probably reference some man. 
Then there's the rest of us, those who lack a father-figure or their father has passed, those who are single, those who have a husband who works long days/nights/weekends or is in the army, etc., and those that are widowed or divorced. 
We've had to figure it out ourselves. While I'm so grateful I have a whole new book of knowledge on how to take care of any task around the house that comes my way, sometimes...just sometimes, it would be nice to have someone else take care of it. (*insert bird removal here*)
So how do you get comfortable with this? How do you get comfortable with being single? How do you become comfortable facing the tasks that you have never been equipped to handle? 
Truth, there is no magic wand. There is no crystal ball, there is no motivational speech I can give that will instantaneously give you all the courage and confidence in the world...forever. What I can give you is this: once you do one thing, you can do anything. 
I bought a house by myself, I've repaired a toilet by myself, I installed a water spigot by myself, I do all the yard work by myself, I've gotten a bird out of the house by myself, I've fixed many things here and there around the house, and am always the one to haggle with the auto repair shop so they don't rip me off for the things I don't need. 
When you are in a place where you don't think you can do it - remind yourself all that you HAVE done. That is when you start to find comfort. 
When you realize that you don't NEED a man in your life...you are able to fully live YOUR best life. It's when you realize that "need" is actually a WANT that you are then able to accomplish the tasks you've never had to accomplish before, to live and care for you, and will then be able to find someone that adds to your already fruitful and fulfilled life.  Getting to that place is a journey my friends. I still have moments of "why can't a man just freaking take care of this?" Once I pull my head out of the clouds and take care of what needs to be done...I feel so incredibly accomplished because I did it...all by myself. 
How many of you can truly look at your life and know that you can do anything?!  I will tell you, this feeling is unmatched. I look at where I've been, what I've done, and where I'm going and 100% know that I will be able to handle anything that comes my way. This feeling has also transgressed into dating - I don't need anyone to fulfill a missing part of my life. Sure, I want that for my future-self but  I know that in my day-to-day I can take care of everything I need to, without the help of someone else.

As you know, I started my clean beauty journey a couple of weeks ago. Part of this journey is sharing with you all the products I love that have worked for me so you can join this movement as well. Why should you care about clean beauty? The beauty industry in the U.S goes unregulated - that means, companies can put whatever chemicals and toxins in their products necessary to achieve the desired product they want. These ingredients are not just harmful for you (especially over a long period of time) but they are also harmful for the environment. Beautycounter is paving the way to provide sustainable products that are effective! The Friends & Family sale happens twice a year - it's Christmas in June! Also, a great way to try products at a discount. If you don't love them, they have a 60-day money back guarantee. Shop here!
What are my thoughts so far?

• My skin is brighter, more even, less breakouts, reduced oiliness, no more redness, acne scars are more even, pores are smallest they have ever been. 

Mentally, I'm here right now (laying by the ocean in the photo below).👇🏼 I have been enjoying the outdoor oasis I call my backyard but nothing is the same as the ocean breeze, especially the Mediterranean Ocean breeze. I have recently found some of the cutest swimming suits, and while I don't have many places to where them too I wanted to share in hopes one of you has a tropical or warm weather vacation ahead of you! Recently, I've preferred one piece suits to bikinis and my favorite one is from J.Crew last season that is very similar to this tie pink & red from Summersault!

TGIF! This week, albeit flew by, tested me in many ways - I've never been so excited to see Friday! Here are my favorites form the week:🙌🏼

1 | Plants & Flowers

• I have loved tending to my plants as of late. Don't get me wrong, I have always loved it but lately I've acquired a deeper appreciation for plants and flowers that I'm growing. I think in part it's because it gives me something to do and in other part, keeps me outside - which I love. I'm currently waiting for the rest of my Gardenia and Peony plant to bloom! 

2 | Lotus Glow Cleansing Balm

• If you read this post then you know I've made the decision to switch to clean beauty. Thus far, I'm very happy with the decision and have so much fun discovering new products. This cleansing balm is incredible. I've always, always battled sensitive and irritated skin that gets red from even washing with a gentle cleanser. This balm does the complete opposite! All of my redness is gone, my skin is brighter and doesn't feel tight or dry after washing. I've used oil cleansers before but nothing that works like this one has. 

3 | Overnight Resurfacing Peel 

• This AHA/BHA peel works wonders! My skin has never been more even in tone & texture and brighter than it has in the past 10 years. You can read about my previous skin issues here but largely, the decision to switch to clean beauty was I wanted something that was more natural because my skin had yet to completely look different with a product that had loads of chemicals in it. I highly recommend this peel! 

4 | Social Media Cleansing/Detox

• The world is up in arms right now...and for good reason. With that though, I'm having a hard time digesting the consistent negativity and opinions from every corner. It seems as social media is the one place where everyone keeps fighting against one another, that and the news is just too much. Thus, I'll post something and then stay off social media - there is only so much negativity one person can consume before it truly starts effecting you mentally. The social media detox has been necessary and I'm making a more conscious effort to be on it for a certain time and then put it down for the rest of the day. 

5 | Rewatching The Oldies But Goodies

• Just because I've needed the laugh - Friends & Gilmore Girls have been my saving grace as of late. I'm one who prefers to rewatch all the good shows I love simply because I know I won't binge watch, I know what happens, thus - I don't have to think about it. 😂

I think we can all agree that we have a list of these things we 'have' to do in life. I have to workout, I have to eat healthy, I have to drink water, etc., etc., etc., - the list is daunting. Two years ago, I wasn't necessarily overweight but I had extra weight and I definitely needed to exercise, I never had enough sleep, and I fueled my body with a poor choice of food and drink...I was miserable.

I get it - because I've been there. After a long day at work you are drained and the last thing you want to do when you get home (along with cooking dinner, taking care of kids, and household chores) is worry about all the things you need to do for you.

The key to achieving a healthy lifestyle is prioritizing yourself and your body's needs. What does that mean? Well, if you have children - getting up before them to go bike or walk on the treadmill, then making yourself a fueling breakfast. In the evening, once the kids are in bed and chores are done - prioritizing self-care and establishing a nighttime routine that will help you sleep better and longer.
I've discussed this before on the blog, but to be happy + healthy in any relationship (spousal, mother/father, friendship, etc.) you have to prioritize yourself first. It's not selfish, it's necessary. How can you give to others if you yourself have nothing left to give? #foodforthought

Okay, so we've established that you need to take steps to live your best, and healthy life. But how?
One thing at a time. One thing I've learned from the Hollis team is, "You have to create habits out of all the things that are good for you."

1. Walk Or Exercise | You have to find a way to move your body. Last year, I had an incredibly stressful job. I worked 80-90 hour weeks, never slept, ate like crap, and had no energy, but one thing I consistently did was walk everyday. That walk turned into running and eventually that run became the one thing I looked forward to each day because it was time for me. I needed that time, craved it actually, and never let anything get in the way of that time. Lucky for me, I had a boss who was very understanding because he was the same way.

• In the beginning, take it slow. If you are starting from ground zero challenge yourself to walk 3x a week. Then move it 5x a week. Then incorporate other exercises - you will be surprised at how much your body longs for that time of moving! 

2. Drink More Water | We all know this is no secret...so what's the secret to drinking more water?

• Buy a tumbler/water bottle/jug that you love to drink out of. 
• Drink lemon water 
• Set a challenge to drink 2 water bottles a day, then 3, then 4. 

3. Try New Recipes + Eat Your Vegetables | I can't say that I love cooking, I think rather, cooking for one is not fun. It's challenging because I never branched out to try new recipes because I always had so much leftover. This year I made a conscious effort to meal prep better and/or really enjoy the meals I was making.

• If you're sick of eating the same thing, it's time for something new. I could barely eat chicken anymore so I now eat mostly fish and love it. When I get tired of the same fish, I try something new, there is no substitute for chicken in my opinion so fish provides me a wide array of options. I'm actually have crab tonight...yum! 
• Eat your veggies. This one is easier for me in that broccoli and sweet potatoes are easily my favorite food...then it's chocolate or Chick-Fil-A lol. I can devour a veggie tray! You have to find a way to eat food that will energize you. Blend it up in a smoothie, mix it in with your meals, eat the ones you do like - just something! 

4. Consistent Sleep Schedule | Once our stay-at-home orders started, I really buckled down on my sleep schedule. 10pm is my bedtime, I will go to bed before on occasion but I know that if it's after 10 pm then I will struggle the next day. Fridays and Saturdays are usually later but I also sleep in until 7am so I get about the same amount. The

• To implement a bedtime routine I used "Bedtime" on my clock app in my iPhone. It sounds silly but I would set the time I needed to go to bed and followed this bedtime for weeks until I didn't need it anymore. 
• To get up earlier (to provide myself more time in the morning for me) I would turn my alarm up 10 minutes each week until I reached the desired time to get up. I also set two alarms sometimes, the first "wakes" me up but allows me 15 minutes to pull myself up and out of bed and second is "you need to get up now." 
• I find that reading before bed is much better for me than being on my phone. Once I'm upstairs for the night, I enforce the rule that my phone remains plugged in and I stay off it. This has helped me fall asleep easier! 

5. Your Self-Care Deserves A Moment | It wasn't until the middle of last year that I truly decided to make myself a priority. I take time to ensure my headspace is clear, I meditate or spend time journaling/prayer, I do face masks and hair masks and paint my nails, I bake myself protein brownies and indulge on my cheat day. If I need a break, I take a break. Regardless of what family ship you are running you have to take a break too.
I used to be the person that ran myself into the ground. Yes, I still work like crazy and am adding on new things weekly but I've established habits that all around lend me to living a healthier lifestyle, more importantly - I put myself first. No one else is going to prioritize you (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, forever, etc.), it's up to you to ensure your basic needs are met. Once they are - you will be unstoppable!

Since my mid-twenties, I have been very passionate about environmentalism. Sustainability, recycling, avoiding plastics, etc., have been on the forefront of my passion. I must preface this with - I can do so much better than I am. Recycling, using metals straws, avoiding or reducing plastic usage, and cleaning up my neighborhood regularly are all great but there is so much more I can do to reduce my carbon footprint. There are other aspects in my life where I can make cleaner decisions - like the household cleaning products I use, starting a compost, and switching to clean beauty are some of my priorities.  What is clean beauty?  Clean beauty is defined by products that are mindfully created and produced without any toxic chemicals. They are safer for our body, safer for the environment and produced around sustainability. 
Why am I switching to clean beauty?  My journey with my skin has been an on-going battle. In high school, contrary to most teens, I had flawless skin. Pre high-school I definitely battled acne but high school was great. When I graduated, I went to Alaska for four weeks and suffered a horrific skin infection. I say horrific because it was just that. It was the most painful thing I ever experienced, I had huge cystic acne all on my cheeks. After topical and oral treatments as well as trying any and every skincare line I have finally gotten my skin to a place where it's fairly consistent. What I have now is acne scarring, hormonal breakouts, and oily  yet combination skin. I can't help but wonder if my skin just cannot handle all the environmental factors, hormone changes during the month, and a variety of harsh products that I'm using on my skin.  More importantly, the beauty industry is very much un-regulated. This means that companies are essentially allowed to use whatever they want without government oversight. There is an extensive list of products that are harmful to you and the environment that the beauty industry uses in its products. Substances such as carcinogens and known endocrine disruptors are used - these substances have extreme and adverse health effects. This also means that there is no oversight on marketing "green or eco-friendly" and most consistently these branded terms that companies use do not match the back of their label with products. Did you know that the European Union has a list of around 1,800 substances that can not be used by the beauty industry? We unfortunately, do not have such a list here in America so all of those toxic substances that the European Union rules out is free game for our beauty industry providers here. 
What clean beauty products am I looking into?  I have looked extensively into Beautycounter and have tried five of their products thus far - and love them. I have also looked into Saie, RMS Beauty, Herbivore, Rahua, Ilia, Goop, Dae, and more! 
Will clean beauty work the same?  Two reasons as to my answer 'yes.' 

1. Imagine we didn't live in 2020, that we lived before most of the beauty industry was developed. All that women and men had to use is what was naturally sourced in nature. Technology has advanced as has the beauty industry but along the way women were looking for problems to be solved and instead of sourcing natural ingredients - we created them. While this creation is incredibly advanced, it doesn't mean that it's the best for you.
2. I've used the Beautycounter products for four days now and my skin looks better than it has in 10 years. Will it stick? I'm not sure! That's why I'm bringing you on this journey with me. 

Why is this something we should be concerned about? 

In my opinion, if you care about our planet than this goes hand-in-hand - there is just the additional element of caring for yourself too. I live an active and healthy lifestyle and I want to make sure that in addition to how I'm taking care of my body and what I'm feeding it, that I'm also putting products on it that are free of heavy metals and toxic substances. 

When most people think of France, they initially think of Paris. Then, most will think of the Provence area with rows and rows of decadent lavender fields as well as the South of France region, home to beautiful rock beaches, delicious seafood, and colorful hillside towns. The Northwest Region is at the top of my list, the regions of Normandy and Brittany. These regions are home to seaside port towns with rows upon rows of colorfully stacked homes, fresh food markets, incredibly delish seafood, countryside that looks as though it were photographed and taken straight from a movie set, and the list goes on. It's in this area of France that I really fell in love with the country. The hillsides are serene, and the small villages with farming animals looked so picturesque...and simple. I loved the simplicity of the day-to-day in these areas. It wasn't overrun with technology - there was an appreciation for the environment, for a work-life balance, and for delectable fare.
We visited multiple towns on our jaunt down the coast of Northwestern France starting in Rouen, then Honfleur, Caen, and Saint-Malo. We rented a car (I highly recommend) and were able to take our time getting from town to town as well as take in the picturesque French landscape. It is slightly different driving in France as all the signs are different and they take speeding very seriously so go the exact speed limit, or under for that matter 😂.

Here is a glimpse of a few of the spots we visited on our journey. I had a lot of fun going back in time but realized I didn't take too many photos, what I do have are great reference!
Rouen: 
Honfleur: You can see my Honfleur travel guide here - this was one of my favorite small towns in France. The small cobblestone lanes and colorful homes and businesses didn't even look real. The food market and fresh fish market in the mornings was incredible. We stayed at the Iba Honfleur, it was inexpensive, small, and clean - we were only there to sleep!

Is 2020 over yet? That has been my mindset this past month. Over the weekend, I racked my brain on how I can work to make this year better. My only thought that kept coming to mind was, I'm tired. I'm really tired. This thought obviously isn't going to get me anywhere...except maybe closer to a nap but even then it's not accomplishing anything. I went from blogging 5 days a week to posting nothing at all this past month - I think May was just a tipping point for me. I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated with the lack of progress on all fronts, I'm frustrated with where I'm at, I'm frustrated with the constant negativity in the world, frustrated with all the recent events. Just overall freaking frustrated.
I'm headed into June with a revised outlook. I really had a "come-to-Jesus" moment with myself as I knew I just couldn't keep being so upset about things outside of my control. In addition to my morning gratitude and goals, I journal. My journal has a bible passage(s) so I read from the Bible each day - it helps ease me into the day with a renewed mindset. Keetna and I have also been running in the mornings since it's getting hotter. While I do not love morning workouts, I feel better throughout the day and love that my workout is done in the morning!