← She's So Lucky
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- [00:01]
A
The following podcast is a Dear Media production.
- [00:10]
B
Welcome to Balance Black Girl. Oh, hi.
- [00:13]
C
Thank you so much for having me.
- [00:15]
B
I mean, this episode has been kind of a long time coming because behind the scenes, we've been chatting about having you come on the show for a while, and so I'm so glad that we're finally getting to do it.
- [00:23]
C
I'm so excited to finally be here.
- [00:25]
B
Oh. So we were just talking about you spending some time back in New York and some of the differences between New York and la, where you live now in la, versus being back in New York, which is home, where you're from. And like, that spontaneity, which I think as someone who is new to New York, still having just moved from la, I think that's part of what grabbed me and made me want to stay.
- [00:46]
C
That makes total sense. I mean, you just don't have that in LA because of the constant planning and organizing that you need to do in terms of your day. And even, like, you live out of your car so much versus, you know, here. You can jump in the subway in New York City and get back to your apartment, do a quick change and then hit the streets again.
- [01:07]
B
No, exactly. That's literally like my day today. I was in Williamsburg co working with a friend this morning, and then I was like, okay, let me head back to the city. Let me get to the studio. And then after this, I'm going to go back to Brooklyn and then back up to the city. It's like, you can just bop around. It's so easy.
- [01:21]
C
Yeah.
- [01:21]
A
Yeah.
- [01:22]
B
Well, I am super excited to have you on the podcast. There's so many things I'm really excited to chat with you about. First and foremost, being something super exciting is that you have put in so much work to create this incredible beauty brand made that you have put years and hours and labor of love into that. Launched this fall. Congratulations.
- [01:44]
C
Thank you so very much. Thank you so much. A true labor of love. A birth to another child. Yes, pretty much. But, yeah, I'm very excited to finally share the full collection with the world.
- [01:57]
B
Absolutely. And after working on something for so many years, how does it feel to now have it out in the world?
- [02:03]
C
Yeah, I mean, there's an incredible level of pride and there's an incredible level of emotion. Just overwhelmed with every and anything. You know, the other day I dropped my daughter off at school and said, you know, let me go on Mae's channel on the Instagram and see what's happening. And for the first time I saw a different, you know, Another creator, I should say, creating content with my products. And it wasn't someone I had gifted. It wasn't a friend. It was someone who, you know, intentionally purchased our products and then decided to take a part of her day and create a content video about sharing our products with her community. And you could never imagine that. I was so overwhelmed, I started to cry in my car. And I would never expect that. But the reality is, after so many years of creating content for other beauty brands, to see someone else take the time to organically do that, because they were excited, because they appreciated the formulas. I mean, the review was incredible. She pinpointed every single thing that I really tried to hit in terms of the experience, and it's very overwhelming in the most beautiful way.
- [03:23]
B
Absolutely. That must be so surreal to see somebody, like, using your product in an organic way and understand the intention and have that come across.
- [03:32]
C
Absolutely. I mean, the unboxing photos all month, it's just like, oh, my gosh, my stuff's out there in the world and people are buying it. I mean, it sounds so wild. Of course, that was my intention when I created it. But then when it's actually happening, I don't know that that feeling ever goes away. Because you put so much into things. Right. It's like when somebody, I'm sure, randomly comes up to you in the street and they're like, oh, my God, I love your podcast. You're still like, wait, you listen. Right. Because you know people are listening. Right. I knew people would buy, but still, in the moment, you never lose that. Wow. I create something and people appreciate it, and they love it. And they love it enough to share it.
- [04:12]
B
Yeah, absolutely. It's like such a difference between maybe seeing a number on a screen Right. When you can see, okay, we've hit this many sales, or in podcasts, I've hit this many downloads, you see the number and you're like, okay. But then when you actually see the people behind it, that's when it really hits home that it's real.
- [04:28]
C
Absolutely. So well said.
- [04:29]
B
Yeah. So I want to talk a bit about your career and how you got to this point because you've had a really dynamic career, from modeling, acting, content, creating, community building, to now beauty founder. What has that transition been like? And what is it like to now be a founder of your own brand?
- [04:46]
C
Ooh, how much time you have?
- [04:48]
B
I know that's a very loaded question.
- [04:49]
C
A long question. You know, I believe in the pivot, and it's something that I really hope my community grasps from the content that I create, that, like, life is all about the pivot and continuing to chase the things that you want out of life, the dreams that you have. And so for years, I just feel like I have been told there were things that I could not do, and for whatever reason, mostly theirs. People tell you things based on their experiences, but. But I've always been able to put the work in to change that, to go after the things I want, to not listen to the naysayers. And so I started as a model very young. And at a certain point, I was signed by Eileen Ford very young. And then at a certain point, I wasn't gonna be 5 9, which in those times, you really had to be in order to be a successful supermodel. Do Runway. Runway is what leads to editorial. That was the traditional way of getting campaigns. But they realized that I had the opportunity to work in beauty, which you didn't need to be five'nine for. And so when I started to understand that modeling was a business and not a hobby, I really knew that, okay, I'm gonna focus on, like, how do I meet every, you know, go on every beauty casting, present myself in every which way? You know, I am very mixed. There were places I walked into and castings where I wasn't this, that, or the other enough? And instead of taking that and walking away from that career, I decided to say, well, that's the best thing about me, that I can appeal to all of your customers. And that was something that I've carried with me. The need to continue talking about diversity in everything that I've done. Then I went on to be an actress on television, and that was really fun. And it was during that time that I started to think about my lips specifically, because Maid, for those who don't know, is a beauty line focused on lips. I saw a lack of product development in that space and products that were specifically designed for the health and long term benefits of lips. And I started to kind of think about what that might look like. Then I transitioned. I got married, I had my kid. I didn't think I was going to stay home. And all of a sudden, I would not let anyone touch my child. And then I fell into content creation. And naturally, it started with things that were very normal to me. Sharing my beauty secrets, so to say, or my wellness habits, what I was eating, why I was going to have a home birthday, why I was going to raise my child vegan for the first five years of her life. And then I had my son of his life. Why clean Beauty was important. I was doing interviews talking about the importance of clean Beauty in 2011 and I've always been in beauty and so it's always been my safe space. And my self care practice is very much rooted in taking care of myself through beauty. And creating a beauty brand was something I always dreamed of. And so I just got to the stage in my life where it is like I have done this. They said I was, you know, have a successful modeling career because I was not tall enough. And then I went on to do every major campaign for so many beauty brands. Then I wanted to be an actress. And they were like models don't really make the transition into acting. And I was the star of a TV show. And then, you know, I taught myself how to create a career in the digital space purely by genuinely creating community. I didn't know it was a business. I think many of us did not in the beginning, right? And so this was just something that was on my bucket list. And I thought, well I'm not going to die thinking what would my life had been like if I had went after that one extra thing that I wanted to do. So I was like, now or never.
- [09:10]
A
How you feel about your body and your relationship with food matter, Especially this time of year. The holidays can bring up all kinds of tricky feelings around food and body image. And while it's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, navigating all of that can feel really overwhelming. But the good news is that you're not alone and there is help. Equip is here to support you with real evidence based care that works. Equip is a virtual eating disorder treatment program designed to help you heal your relationship with food and your body, all from the comfort of home. You'll get access to a team of experts, including a therapist, dietitian, medical provider and mentor who are with you every step of the way. It's for all ages, fits into your schedule, and is often covered by insurance. What makes EQIP so special is their personalized approach. They understand that recovery isn't one size fits all, and they really meet you wherever you are on your journey, especially during times like this when things can feel really hard. If the holidays are bringing up tough feelings for you or someone you care about when it comes to food and body image, Equip is here to help you deserve to enjoy this season without constant stress over food or your body. Visit Equip Health BalanceBlackGirl to learn more. Again, that's Equip Health BalancedBlackGirl. Equip Health, Equip Health, BalancedBlackGirl. Finding mentors and successful people to learn from has not always been easy for me, which is why Masterclass has been such a game changer. I've had a membership for years and honestly, it's one of my favorite ways to keep growing and learning. And with the holidays here, it's the kind of gift that keeps giving all year long. With Masterclass, you can learn from over 200 of the world's best in their fields. I've taken a bunch of classes myself and walked away with so much value. Like James Clear's class on building habits is life changing. I loved Elaine Welterall's class on navigating your career and career pivots. I love Amy Tan's storytelling class. She's one of my favorite authors from a young age, and so her class was so inspiring. And I know that I'm not alone in finding value in masterclass. 88% of masterclass members say it's made a positive impact on their lives. It's not just another video to watch. It's really an experience that pushes you to level up in ways that actually stick. And the best part is it can be taken anywhere. On the phone, your laptop, your smart tv. There's even an audio mode for when you're on the go. And if you're not feeling it, no stress. Master class has a 30 day money back guarantee. Right now they're running some amazing holiday deals, sometimes up to 50% off. Just head to masterclass.com balance to check out. What's the offer? That's masterclass.com balanced for up to 50% off. Masterclass.com balanced. Okay.
- [12:35]
B
So much goodness in your story that I want to dig back into around not letting other people's limiting beliefs limit you. Because I think sometimes, especially when we're younger, it can be so easy to be susceptible to that. Because if somebody's saying, okay, well you can't do this, or that hasn't been done before or you're not a good fit for this and you don't necessarily have proof otherwise, it can be really easy to be like, you know what, you're right, actually, maybe I shouldn't do that. Maybe I shouldn't try that. And to be able to do it anyway and to do it in a way that feels authentic to you and to make it work for you I think is just a really beautiful thing. And seeing you do that in so many lanes is really cool.
- [13:13]
C
Thank you so much. You know, I was raised by a Single mom. And she just, you know, just blew me up. She just gassed me up. She just, like, fed me all the goodness and was like, you know, do everything for yourself. Be super independent. Count on no one to a fault. She could teach me that to a fault a little bit. But go out there and, like, you can do anything you want to do. And I believed her. And I also, you know, when I became a mom, you change. You don't become, you know, I don't like to say become a different person, but you become a different version of yourself. You grow and you evolve, and the way that you look at things is so different. And obviously, me and my husband, you know, we are their biggest examples, good and bad. And so how could I go and tell my children that they need to go out there and chase their dreams and that they have the opportunity to be everything that they want to be if I had the actual opportunity to do the things that I dreamed of and did not do it right? I think I saw my mom, as a single mom, work her hardest to level up in her industry as best she could. And she was always very successful at, like, getting a new position at her organization and moving up and moving up yearly and in the same way, such different, you know, industries. But me looking at things and telling my kids, like, I could have done that, but I was too afraid. It's not just for me, it's for them.
- [14:53]
B
Absolutely. And how cool that they've gotten to witness you, like, create something from scratch, essentially.
- [15:01]
C
Thank you. Yeah. My daughter's really into it. She's nine, and her favorite show is Shark Tank. So she's, like, really into it.
- [15:09]
B
She loves to see the entrepreneurship.
- [15:10]
C
Absolutely.
- [15:11]
B
That's amazing. So another aspect of what you talked about was how you identified kind of a gap in the market when it came to beauty, specifically around lip care. I would love to talk a little bit more about that, because I was really excited to get to go to one of your launch events for Made Beauty, where you walked us through, like, a lip care ritual using the product, which was really cool and also really innovative, because I also hadn't seen that, you know, there's products out there where it's like, there's a lipstick, there's a lip gloss, there's a lip balm. But, like, we don't fully understand the benefit. We don't see how the products work together. And I think that's a really beautiful thing that you've created. So can you talk to us a little bit more about that?
- [15:48]
C
Yeah, I agree. I think that there was a lack in the space for a start to finish ritual routine. And we have them for almost every other part of our body. Right. And so I spent a lot of time thinking, trying things out, sometimes like trying ingredients that really were not meant to be put on my lips, skincare products that weren't meant to be put on my lips, and trying to figure out how I could keep them looking good for as long as possible. Like, what is going to actually help my lips in the long term? Like, why isn't there a system here? I have a three step skincare system or a ten step skincare system. And then we've seen the skinification of hair care and now body care. And yet our lips are such a, you know, pivotal, a pivotal part of our body and our being right. They are on our face. We are sharing our voice, our opinions, we embrace with them our friends, we kiss, our families, our partner, our children. And yet we don't have a system built out to take care of them. And so, yeah, just by trial and error in the beginning, really focusing on what I wanted the long term benefits to be and kind of dialing, moving backwards, formulating backwards, like, okay, we want to talk about lines, we want to talk about discoloration of the lips, which is, you know, something specifically. I know as a woman of color, our community deals with. And so I also felt like there were a lot of products focused on other communities out there. But in terms of lips, I didn't see products that were really focused to what women of color needed. So even going down to when I picked the applicator for our balm, you will notice it has a flat, fuller applicator because women of color, we have fuller lips. And so when you, a balm is something you put on the go sometimes you are never going to pull out your mirror. You don't want to go to the bathroom to check your lip. So I want to make sure that that applicator gets that product all the way around your lip. And just thinking about little things like that is the intentionality that I put into the entire system. I really wanted it to feel like a full sensorial moment. And I think we accomplished that really well.
- [18:21]
B
I have to say, most definitely. I actually love that applicator. It feels like a gua sha on your lips. It's so cooling.
- [18:28]
C
Oh, I love that. Thank you. Yeah, I tell everyone, massage your lips, think about ironing out those little lines. Enjoy it. You know, it's just like your little moment of self care.
- [18:39]
A
Absolutely. And to Your point?
- [18:41]
B
It's interesting that lip care isn't something that I think there's ever been much focus on, which is wild because our lips do kind of go through so much, like they're constantly exposed, whether that's to the elements, to everything going on so much. We don't take care of our lips the same way we take care of any other skin.
- [19:02]
C
Yeah, no, it's so it's. It really was very interesting to me. And I think what I also saw was that, you know, brands had lip products obviously, but I personally didn't feel like formulation was really, was really there. Like skincare ingredients. Like we have balms, there are plenty of great balms out there, but our balm specifically has a proprietary mix that is, you know, ceramides, biomimetic peptides, all of these beautiful ingredients, plant stem cells that are there to actually benefit and help maintain your lip barriers long term function. So it's skin care for the lips. And the reality is exactly what you said, like environmental stress. We're making out with people all day, you know, we're putting on product, wiping it off. It started with the fact that I always wear a matte liquid red lipstick and finding one that did not dry out my lips was very hard. So originally it was like, I need to create the perfect red that is also long lasting clean. So already you start ticking away already. The chemist and the contract manufacturers are like, okay, girl, you're already asking for a lot. And then I'm like, okay, then I want you to throw in some skincare ingredients that are going to keep that liquid lip moisturizing. And I want you to walk around. I wanted myself and others to walk around feeling, forgetting that they even had it on. And then it became, well, most people are not doing all the things that I was doing at home. People do not exfoliate their lips as much. What I found was many people had an adverse experience when exfoliating the lips. And so when I formulated our polish, I specifically wanted to hit two things. One was we need to use micro crystal sugars, grains so that it is a very gentle exfoliation and so that you can do it more than once a week because, you know, come wintertime some of us need some real. Some real.
- [21:14]
B
I know I do.
- [21:14]
C
Especially in New York. Okay, it gets rough out there. But then also what I wanted to hit was I wanted it to be dissolvable. Because what I found with my personal experience is why would I wipe it off the minute you wet your lips? Or if you lick it off, which tends to happen with like a sugar or a formula on the lips that tastes really well. Well, now you're inviting your lips to get dry. Like, the number one rule is don't lick your lips. Right. So I wanted to make sure that we had something that could leave the lips feeling nourished and protected. So I was like, what if we could make this dissolve? And so that it would dissolve down to a balm? And while I knew it couldn't last long enough, but I wanted it at least to be a consistency where that your lips could absorb the products and the ingredients and kind of benefit from a foundational level of nourishment. And so hitting that took quite some time. A couple of years.
- [22:13]
B
Oh, I bet. I mean, that's super innovative. That's like, I've never seen it before.
- [22:18]
C
Thank you.
- [22:19]
B
So when you're creating something entirely new like that, it definitely takes time.
- [22:31]
A
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- [23:52]
B
Heads up.
- [23:53]
A
The code is a one time thing, so don't hold back on your first haul. Trust me, your feet will thank you. That is code bbg for 15% off your first order@bionicshoes.com let's talk about something we do every single day. Brushing our teeth. Now I'll be honest. Before I started using the Quip 360 oscillating toothbrush, my oral health routine felt a little basic. But now it's a whole vibe. Quip has completely upgraded my brushing game and I actually look forward to it. The new Quip360 is an electric toothbrush that literally revolves around you. It's simple, sleek, and doesn't overcomplicate the most important daily ritual. Plus it's ultra quiet, so no more sounding like a power tool in your bathroom. What really sold me is how effective it is. The Quip 360 is scientifically proven to remove up to 11 times more plaque between teeth compared to a manual toothbrush. And it provides up to twice as much whitening from day one. And I love that it has a built in two minute timer with 30 second pulses to help you brush evenly. It's a small detail, but makes such a big difference. And if you tend to brush too hard, which I'm guilty of, the Quip360 has a pressure sensor to help you protect your gums. It even offers 3 intensity level so you can customize your clean, gentle daily or deep clean. If you're ready to give it a try, there's a deal. Just for listeners of Balanced Black Girl, you can get 20% off site wide plus a free travel case and countertop stand at getquip qip.com balanced free your mouth today and save 20% sitewide plus a free travel case and counterTop stand at getquip.com balanced get quip q uip.com balanced.
- [26:00]
B
So I want to also talk a little bit more about your signature red lip. And I've been paying a lot more attention to like beauty, my own beauty, taking more care when it comes to beauty because that's something that is newer to me, something that I've only really gotten into over the past couple of years.
- [26:17]
C
May I ask why?
- [26:18]
B
A couple of reasons. One, I previously was very into fitness and the way that the logistics of my life were set up. I don't think that beauty and fitness are mutually exclusive at all, but for me they were because I had things like really long commutes and I'd be working multiple jobs and so it was like if I was going to get a workout in, I'd be getting ready out of a gym bag and like onto the next thing. And so I just Never really spent the time to develop, like, my own signature looks or pay attention to my beauty routines until now. Now that I have a little bit more flexibility in my life. But I love this idea of having some sort of signature. And, like, for you, your red lip is very much a signature. Because I think sometimes there's these misconceptions that, you know, some skin tones can wear color or red or whatever, and some can't, and which I think is silly.
- [27:06]
C
No, it's definitely not true. I mean, you've got to find what works for your undertones, which obviously very important, especially for women of color like ourselves. Like, yes, you need to consider that. But I also think sometimes it's listening to that theory, like that thing that someone had said, like, put in your ear, and there's that fear of trying something new. So we had a community event yesterday, and one of our made beauties who came, she was like, I got to tell you, I bought everything but the lip. And I said, no problem. Like, she was like, I am just like, I do not think. I do not know. And I was like, do not worry, because we have a sample. We are going to get you in this red lip, honey.
- [27:52]
A
You are going to try it.
- [27:53]
C
You are going to try it. You are going to love it. And, you know, I did a little tutorial with her. I was showing with all the girls. It was all women yesterday who came, and I was showing them how I particularly apply it. And it's so interesting. It's just like that little swipe of confidence. And then all of a sudden, she's like, wow, I. I just never thought I could, you know, hold down a red lip. And I was like, well, now, you know, right now, you know, differently so.
- [28:21]
B
And I think, too, I mean, this is also just speaking from my experience, because I'm still kind of wrapping my brain around it. But sometimes having some sort of statement element, whether that is like a red lip or having, you know, maybe a statement piece that you have on it, does require a level of comfort with being seen. Like, you are going to be seen. And I think sometimes, like, we have to kind of wrap our heads around that. And I know that's something that I still kind of struggle with when it comes to different elements of my look.
- [28:50]
C
How interesting. I'm here for us to be seen. Yeah, I'm all about, like, that's what I want from my community. I want you to go out there and I want you to walk into a room and be seen in which, you know, and that could be in whichever way is important to you. But, yeah, I mean, why wouldn't you want to be seen with your, like, just who you are? You're so beautiful, so smart. Like, when you walk in a room, I don't know how you're not seen anyway, so, I mean, like, look at you. But nice try, Nice try.
- [29:24]
B
Well, thank you. I certainly appreciate that. And I'm excited to play more with a red lip, too, because it is something that I've been scared of.
- [29:32]
C
No, you look.
- [29:32]
B
So I'm excited to play more. I did. I really enjoyed it at the party.
- [29:36]
C
Yay.
- [29:37]
B
At the ritual event, I did enjoy it. So I'm excited to experiment more, especially with winter coming up. I feel like that's the perfect red lip season.
- [29:45]
C
And I mean, right now, especially, like, it's all about the lips, so.
- [29:51]
B
For sure.
- [29:51]
C
Yeah, for sure. Seeing a lot of that in the editorials and stuff. So I'm very excited. Very good time for us. A lot of red. A lot of designers actually have read in their collection right now that's, you know, ready to. In the. In the stores, you know, so it's, like, interesting. It's like, perfect timing.
- [30:08]
A
It's all aligned.
- [30:09]
C
Yeah, for sure.
- [30:10]
B
I would also love to talk more about clean beauty, because we did touch a little bit on that. And that is one of the core values of made is, like, using safe ingredients. And I think when people hear clean beauty, it's a term that has been thrown out a lot over the past few years. As you said, this is something that you've been focused on and prioritizing for a long time, even before it was as popular as it is now. If someone may not be familiar with clean beauty, you know, what does that. What does that mean? What does it mean to have products that are clean? Are there certain ingredients that you always.
- [30:43]
A
Make sure to avoid?
- [30:44]
B
And why is that important?
- [30:46]
C
Yeah, great question. And also, you're going to find a lot of different answers to that, because the number one thing to always, like, admit is that there are no regulations in terms of clean. We personally formulate to EU standards, so European beauty standards, because there are more regulations there, and there are far more ingredients that are banned from their cosmetic products. And personally, that means a lot to me and says a lot. And so every clean brand is going to have a different definition for their brand. For me, it's really important. Like I said, formulating to the highest. What we feel like is the highest standard, and we steer clear of ingredients that could potentially cause any damage to your health or wellness. So that's how we look at it. At the end of the day, I think that we have a much smarter consumer. She and he, they're able to do their own research. We have access to information that we just didn't have before. So I say this because sometimes my mom is like, I'm like, well, you didn't know that. You know, even now, the kind of revolution that we're seeing with food. You've probably seen all those viral posts about food coloring. I mean, these are things that I've been discussing with my community for the past decade with kid, with, you know, raising kids. And I just think like making conscious, intentional choices about what we put in and on our bodies is the answer to health. Like it is the preventative way to look at health. And I think it is, you know, a big part of our future and how the human race just lives a healthier, longer life is just being more intentional. Reading labels, googling, you know, looking up what things mean is, is important. And I think before we didn't know what we didn't know. And so because there are no regulations, we were blindly just using products that could potentially over time harm our health or, you know, cause disease.
- [32:55]
B
Yeah, absolutely.
- [33:05]
A
Let's talk gut health, shall we? We've all joked about our hot girl stomach issues, but wouldn't it be nice to embrace our inner hot girl without the stomach drama? The more we learn about gut health, the more we see how much it impacts everything. Our mental health, immunity, digestion, you name it. And if your gut could use a little love, let me put you on to ritual. Symbiotic Plus. I've been taking Symbiotic plus for a few years and it's a non negotiable in my routine at this point. What's cool about it is that it's not just a probiotic, it's actually a three in one powerhouse with prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics for really integrated gut support. It's packed with two of the most clinically studied probiotic strains, which means it's actually here to make a difference for your gut and digestion. And when I take it consistently, I feel the difference. My digestion smoother and overall I just feel better throughout the day. Now of course, quality is everything and ritual really nails it. Symbiotic plus is vegan, non GMO and free from major allergens and artificial colors. Plus it's just one capsule a day and is super easy to take and stick with. If you're ready to show your gut some TLC. Now is a great time. Get 25% off your first month of Ritual symbiotic plus@ritual.com balanced. That's 25% off@ritual.com balanced. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product isn't intended to diagnose treatment to cure or prevent any disease.
- [34:51]
B
It's almost like this radicalization, I think, moment that a lot of us have. We realize that just because something is available doesn't mean it's necessarily safe. I remember having that realization of learning like, oh, wait a minute, there's questions to be asked here. And I think it's been really refreshing to see more and more people starting to ask those questions.
- [35:13]
C
Yeah, more people are advocating for themselves and they want to know why things are in their products and why things are in their foods and why aren't they using or can't they use that in Europe or Japan or across the world? And it's unfortunate that there are no regulations for us and things are slowly getting better. We had mocha laws put in this year that have a little bit more regulation in terms of what beauty brands have to report in terms of adverse reactions and certain labels that we need to have on products that have certain ingredients. But that's like, I can't remember the exact statistic, but I think that's the first change in policy. And 83 or 85 plus years since.
- [36:00]
B
Like the 30s, I think that there's been any.
- [36:03]
C
It just doesn't make any sense like it. We should be prioritizing this because there is, you know, some data to look at and, you know, to formulate speculation on. But like we do see it.
- [36:15]
B
Yeah, definitely. And what initially sparked your interest in having safer products?
- [36:22]
C
So my grandmother, which is kind of inspo for a lot of things, she was a big beauty enthusiast. She still is actually, but she had a lot of health issues. And so she used to come actually very much in the area we are in now and see a lot of more natural Chinese medicine doctors, naturopaths, Eastern doctors. And when she went to her western doctors, everything was about taking a prescription that could solve whatever problem she was experiencing. But when she went to see her eastern doctors, the care was more preventative while it was more holistic. It was not only what is this problem, but what is everything, what are you eating, what are you using, what are you sleeping in? And everything that they taught her, she just basically taught me. So kind of exposed to alternative medicine and health and wellness really young. So I kind of always tell this story where one day she came home and she was like, so I can't eat tomatoes anymore. And I was like, you can't eat tomatoes? Why? Who can't eat tomatoes? And she's like, well, in China explained to me what it means to have an intolerance versus an allergy because a lot of people walk around and say, hey, I'm allergic to that. I can't eat that. Right. So maybe something like shellfish. But some people don't realize that. Let's say for me, when I eat a banana, I tend to get, my mouth tends to get waxy and like my taste buds tend to stand up. And somebody might be like, oh, you know, you kind of ignore things like that because it's not like a rash all over your body. It's not like, you know, some allergic reactions cause, you know, the inability to breathe. So somebody might not think of that as a sign. But that reaction to the banana is my body saying, you have an intolerance for this food. It doesn't work with you, so you should avoid that. Now I need to look at what other foods fall similar in similar categories. And there are things like you just wouldn't even think of connecting a banana with that I have to avoid because maybe it's not that I have an allergic reaction that's so noticeable, but maybe I get a little like brain fog or I feel lethargic or the next morning I'm a little more tired from things than I would normally be. And so that's just kind of how I grew up. And so just looking at everything I put in and on my body, I.
- [38:57]
B
Think that's such a beautiful gift though that you were taught body awareness so young. Because I think that requires just a lot of connection with your body to understand how different things are affecting you and to be able to act accordingly. Because I think a lot of us just weren't really taught how to listen to our bodies. And now that maid is out in the world, it exists, people have it, they love it.
- [39:18]
A
What are you looking forward to?
- [39:20]
B
How does it feel?
- [39:21]
C
I'm looking forward to getting back to my self care practices. Self care is a really big part of my ability to do all the things that I do because I do quite a lot. Yeah, you know, I am one of those people who give 110% of myself and in order to do that I have to feed myself first, you know, put the oxygen mask first. But in the last, probably year and especially the last five months towards launch, I really have lost, I Wouldn't say lost, but I've let some of the self care practices that I love, I've had to put them on pause. Part of maid's journey this year was that we were part of Sephora's accelerate program for 2024. And from the program ran from January to May. So I couldn't get into the gym because I was already waking up at 5 to get into the gym. But if I had to be on a Zoom at 9 and I wanted to be there for the kids and then afterwards, after my 9 o'clock Zoom sessions with Sephora, I had to then run the business. There was no time, so that was something that I let go of. So now I'm back in the gym, which is really exciting. Some of my longer beauty practices like gua sha and facial massage and having someone come over to my house and give me a massage which is like the most privileged in the world. But like if you can figure out how to get it done, so nice, go get it. I mean it does not even have to be your house. Go. There are plenty of little spots you can jump into. If you can give yourself a once a month treat yourself to a massage. It is so good for your body. Besides, it is relaxing. Those muscles need to be worked on and things need to be moved and energy needs to be freed. So I am really looking forward to getting back to drinking my shakes and my supplement routine and my like longer skincare and like just self care, cold plunge, red light therapy. All the things that I really love to do that I've had to put to the side in order to just really focus on family, business and the program. And then the last five months towards launch I've been like just very much focused on operations. So that's like, you know, outside of like seeing people use my stuff, the next thing to that is like me.
- [41:51]
B
Yes.
- [41:52]
C
Getting back to me.
- [41:53]
A
Yeah.
- [41:54]
B
And I think that that's such a good example of how sometimes things are just in seasons when you were really in build mode and launch mode for the business. It's not ideal that those things take the backseat, but they do. And then when you get through that season it's like, okay, you can get back on to doing the practices that you love again.
- [42:11]
C
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, listen, I always, there are certain things like I get my nails done every 14 days. That is two hours. Like most people do not have that. Like that is a practice. I had my little practices, but it is like my long practices. Like I have my 10 minute meditation. Whether I did it in the top of the day or at the end of the day. I am someone who really advocates and believes in self care daily and that might be only 15, 20 minutes, but I'm looking forward to getting back to my longer practices. But life lives and to say that you can, you know, especially if you are a person like myself who really tends to just over give, be there for everyone, you know, wanna be the type of mom that's fully hands on, want to be available to my team so that I can oversee everything. I mean, this is my baby. So even with the tiny team that I have and the support that I have, I still have to oversee everything. Because she's so new, right? The brand is so new. We are still telling the world who we are, we're still figuring out how we communicate, what words we use, what words we don't use. And so that can only come from the founder still when you have such a new brand. So I have to touch everything for the brand and the reality is there's only so much time in a day and so you have to pick and choose. So yes, did I, of course I still did my, you know, basic beauty care at night skincare routine and I definitely did my lip care routine at night. But like, did I get to spend an hour, 45 minutes every night doing those things or going to the gym every day? No. And I would never tell the world that I was able to do all of that while also, you know, being a full fledged mom and also, you know, creating and launching this brand, that's not realistic, you know, and I think that especially for someone on social media where like you, we're constantly sharing what's happening in our lives and we are a source of entertainment, inspiration, aspiration for people, we have to do it honestly because you set people up for the, you know, feeling bad about themselves if you, if you never share that, hey, I had to let some things go. I had to, you know, I failed at something or I'm overwhelmed. You'll see me in the last, I think, year, you've seen me cry on Instagram more than I would have ever imagined. But it felt so real to come on and share with people like you. At the end you're going to see this incredible line that I have put so much work into and that I have had so many incredible people help launch. But please know that it does not look like this. Like it just does not immediately come out shiny and bright. Like a lot of hard work and sweat and tears went into it. And it is not about me. I want you to know that so that you have a realistic approach to whatever you are going through in your life. And so when you feel like you're failing, please know that I fail too. And I fail miserably. But I always get back up. And that's, you know, what I hope to give back to my community is like this is I did this. But like with failure, with struggle, I had to give things up. Those are the choices that I made. And just wanting to share that really authentically is important to me.
- [45:45]
B
Oh, absolutely. The honesty about all the different sides of those stories I think is so important. And I appreciate you sharing that honestly with us.
- [45:53]
C
Thank you.
- [45:54]
B
Especially because Founder Life is no joke.
- [45:56]
C
No joke. No joke. Not for the week.
- [45:58]
A
No.
- [45:59]
C
Nope.
- [46:00]
B
I feel like that's. That's like the perfect note to finish.
- [46:03]
A
Up our conversation on.
- [46:05]
B
But before we fully wrap the episode, please let the audience know where they can get Made Beauty, how they can get their hands on these incredible lip care products, and how they can follow along.
- [46:13]
C
Yes, please follow us and find us on Instagram aadbeauty, that's M A E D Beauty. And then obviously go to our.com to shop the collection madebeauty.com perfect.
- [46:28]
A
And we'll have all of that linked.
- [46:29]
B
In the show notes too to make it super easy.
- [46:31]
C
Thank you so much for having me. It's so great to be in your energy and spend time with you.
- [46:36]
B
And thank you all so much for joining me for this week's episode. If you enjoyed it, please make sure that you are subscribed. Check our show notes for all of the resources and information mentioned in this.
- [46:46]
A
Episode and if you enjoy the conversation.
- [46:48]
C
Leave us a five star review.
- [46:51]
A
Thank you again for tuning in and.
- [46:52]
B
I will see you next week. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.