Not all Beauty Products are Created Equal: This Woman Decided to “DO” Something About it

I grew up in rural Iowa, in a town of less than 3,000 people with my 2 brothers and sister. Our father had his own medical practice in town, seeing more than 100 patients a day from neighboring communities, and our mother handled the business management side of his office. They taught us the value of hard work and how to juggle 4 kids with a successful business! We lived in the country on 60 acres of wooded timber with a pond, and had so many fun memories of outdoor adventures growing up! I’m not sure as a parent I’d be so brave to let my own children go “exploring” for hours with snacks, bandaids and bug catchers like my mom and dad did, but it made for great stories and a sense of independence from a young age!

I live in Colorado with my hubby of almost 10 years and our two little boys ages 7 and 4. We spend as much time outdoors as we can, hiking, biking, playing sports, and simply enjoying the gorgeous scenery & weather this state has to offer! I couldn’t imagine living elsewhere! My husband is a Strategic Accounts Manager for a large company and therefore travels quite often for his work. After the past few years of teaching preschool, running my own business, raising our 2 boys and taking care of everything at home all with a traveling spouse, I realized this summer that something had to give. I learned I could only have it all when I didn’t DO it all, and have formally resigned from teaching so I could focus on growing my business and being there for my family 🙂

Most days seemed like Mondays. Every week I had SAD {Sunday Afternoon Dread}, not knowing what the coming week would bring. Worried about how I was going to tackle it all as a single parent with my husband gone again. Not sure the stress of it all was worth it. It’s not a great feeling, and even though I made time for myself every morning with my 5am workout on my living room floor, it didn’t erase the anxiety of juggling my life.

For the past 2 years I have worked as an educator {and now a Director} for a clean skincare company called Beautycounter. We work to get safe and effective products into the hands of everyone, and advocate for tougher legislative reform when it comes to the personal care products we use every single day. I work with families across the country on how to make small changes at home to lessen their exposure to harmful chemicals in the products they use daily – not only have I been able to make an enormous impact both for them and for my own family, but it is truly the most fulfilling #sidehustle I’ve ever known! See, years ago I naively thought that if I could buy it on a shelf in America, it was safe to use. Little did I know that our country has not passed a federal law regulating our cosmetics industry since 1938, and that the United States has only banned 11 harmful chemicals from our formulas. Thankfully I found a company dedicated to providing truth and transparency in the ingredients we use, banning more than 1,500 chemicals with carcinogenic properties, allergens, reproductive toxicants and more.

For me, when I was first approached with the  business opportunity, I was working 3 part-time jobs with both of my boys at home. I had NO clue how I would be able to fit in one more thing, and the idea of it seemed overwhelming! But I had been using Beautycounter products for several weeks and was so impressed with how they worked for both myself and my boys, I knew others needed to know about our mission and clean formulas!!! Another hangup was the initial financial investment. At the time it seemed like a lot of money to invest, not knowing how it would pay off. But looking back I learned is if you think you can’t afford to have a business, you can’t afford NOT to do it.

I can’t WAIT to see what happens beginning next month when I get to have actual dedicated hours every day while the boys are in school to work my business!

“Bloom where you are planted.” This has always been my motto, because when you combine passion with purpose, you are unstoppable. Your story will always be your driving force, and nobody can take that away from you. Own it. I remember in July 2014 I had picked up some kids body wash while I was at the Dollar Store, not thinking anything of it. We used it several times at home before I turned over the bottle and saw a huge warning label stating, “Prolonged use may cause urinary tract infection and skin irritation.” I was in complete shock – I couldn’t believe my boys were sitting in the tub with those chemicals, and that I could have taken other precautions to protect them! I also found out that the word “fragrance” in the ingredient list was a legally protected trademark secret whereby companies are not required to disclose the chemicals they use to make the scent. So even bottles that are advertised as “natural” but contain synthetic fragrance can be hiding hundreds of toxins including parabens, phthalates, and other harmful endocrine disrupting ingredients. I transformed my anger and frustration into empowerment, knowing that I CAN make a difference for my friends and family. Because they deserve better.

Discipline and consistency are key. When you have kiddos at home, other jobs, and a multitude of responsibilities, finding time to commit to a #sidehustle can be difficult. But I’ve cultivated my time management over the years so that even if I just have 30 minutes of time to work, I am completely focused in that 30 minutes. It’s amazing how many contacts you can reach, how many follow ups you can do, how many coaching calls you can have with your team when you put on the blinders and just get to work 😉

I wish I would have known that all products aren’t created equal. That what I was using on my body as a pregnant woman had an effect in utero. That the lotions and makeup I slathered on my face had the ability to soak through my body’s largest organ {skin} and mimic estrogen in my body. That the bubble bath I used on my baby boys was not the safest choice for their sensitive delicate skin. But once you know better, you can do better, and that’s my job as an educator for Beautycounter. To help others make safer choices and feel empowered to read the labels on their products. To know that with our products you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing we’ve put your health first.

My sister! She has an entrepreneurial spirit that is infectious. She is a risk-taker and helps me leap before looking. She has helped me build confidence in myself that has translated to the success of my business, and is always my biggest cheerleader 🙂

Take time for YOU. We do so much as women and as moms especially, and it’s absolutely imperative to take just 5 minutes a day to sit and reflect each day. To restore balance, to find peace. I do this every morning with my daily workout, and it helps guide me through the day. Own your confidence. Be passionate about what you do, radiate fulfillment. We were put on this earth to make a difference in the lives of others, and once you find the place where you can be the change, grow there!