January 28, 2019

My Nighttime Skincare Routine.

January 28, 2019/ Kristen Hale

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you click through some of the links in this post.

I have always been really really ridiculously bad at sticking to a skincare routine. I am totally the girl that goes to sleep with her makeup on, because in the back of my mind I think, “Well, it’s non-toxic makeup so how bad can it be if I just lay down for a minute…?” And that used to happen 3+ times per week. I know - BAD GIRL. But I have been on a skincare journey and last summer I started getting serious about my skincare routine. This routine has really become something that I look forward to at the end of the day, and feels like so much more than just washing my face. These 5 minutes that I spend helps me unwind, feels like a bit of self-care (ha because IT IS), and I genuinely know that my skin has drastically improved. So here’s the routine!

1. Cleanse.
I squeeze a dime-sized amount of DoTERRA Facial Cleanser to my Clarisonic Mia 1 and do a 60-second scrub in a circular motion. It feels like a face massage and it’s so unbelievably relaxing.

2. Remove eye makeup.
I apply a few drops of Plant Apothecary Reset Organic Makeup Remover on a cotton pad and gently remove my eye makeup. It’s hard to find a clean eye makeup remover and this one performs! I love it.

3. Tone.
I do a quick swipe of this DoTERRA Pore-Reducing Toner with a cotton ball and then let my skin dry.

4. Serum + Face Massage.
This is the step that feels the most indulgent. I apply about 2-3 drops of this Yarrow/Pom blend and rub it in. Then I use this Rose Quartz Facial Roller and spend about 60 seconds massaging the serum into my skin. I use upward strokes and it feels SO. GOOD. I honestly credit my skin’s completely changed texture to this oil blend - it is so good it’s almost scary. I am OBSESSED. This blend of yarrow essential oil with cold-pressed pomegranate oil activates protective skin proteins that enable collagen production. AKA my secret skin weapon. Seriously.

5. Moisturize.
After the serum is roller in, I apply a dollop of DoTERRA Anti-Aging Moisturizer to seal in the moisture and give my skin a final drink of goodness. This moisturizer smells reeeeally good too.

5. Eye Cream, too.
Finally, I apply a tiny bit of DoTERRA Anti-Aging Eye Cream around my eyes. I use 1/2 of a pump of this stuff for both eyes because seriously - a little goes so far!

There you have it! The routine that I’ve been rocking lately and I am loving it. There is something truly therapeutic about taking these few minutes for myself at the end of the day. All of these products are all SO clean and good for my skin, which matters so much to me. Our skin is the largest organ in the body, and it soaks up everything we put on it. These products are free of phthalates, fragrances and chemicals that are loaded into so many other skincare products. So I feel good about them and they feel good about me, too! Also, you can shop all the DoTERRA products for 25% off here!

I posted an IGTV episode sharing this routine, you can see it here.

Do yourself a favor and put together a little nighttime routine for you skin - you will feel so relaxed and love the results, too! xx

May 03, 2018

Like Mother, Like Daughter.

May 03, 2018/ Kristen Hale

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Last year for Mother's Day, my mom treated me to a sunless tanning experience - a bronzing session at RAW Bronzing Studio. I had never had a spray tan before and I remember thinking this was a funny new activity for us to do as mother/daughter. Afterwards we went to lunch and she was doing her mom thing, asking me lots of questions about my life, and then she leaned over and looked me seriously in the eye. I wasn't sure what she was about to say, but I prepared myself to enter into a deep conversation about whatever it was she was about to propose. I caught a twinkle in her eye as she said to me, "Don't you love it? Your tan?" I breathed a sigh of relief - my mother! She's a hard one to peg, with all her simultaneous humor and depth. And I had to admit, I did love it. The bronze tone of the tan looked so natural and pretty, but my favorite part was that I had no tan lines. No tan lines, you guys! #dreamtan

My mom is the reason why I've started paying extra special attention to taking care of my skin. Over the past few years, she has had some basal cell carcinoma spots removed, so it's made me super aware of how seriously important it is to take care of my own skin. She's always saying that it was because she wasn't taking care of her skin when she was younger, so I want to heed her advice and take better care of the skin I have!

I'm pretty wretchedly terrible at washing my face at night (I know, it's so immature not to do this but I'm just always so tired), but I am trying to be more aware of how much sun exposure I am getting throughout the day. Especially as the weather is heating up and I'm outside more and more with my kiddos. I'm used to enjoyably baking in the sun, because I have olive skin and I don't burn as easily as some. However, that's almost all the more dangerous - I don't always feel the damage happening! But I'm getting better about being aware and taking preventative measures. I shared here about how I have been prepping my skin for the spring/summer season and I've been pretty consistent about that protocol.

My mom and I were at the beach together last weekend, and we had both gotten a bronze at RAW two days prior. I was like, DUH - mother daughter beach photos for the win! Thanks to my sister Rachel, who snapped these for us. I wanted to share with you all how real the sunless tan looks - my mom and I have very different skin tones and it still looks so natural on both of us! She has a lot of pink undertones in her skin while I favor my Dad's side more, with all those good yellow undertones. Note the sarcasm. Yellow = sallow.

Now I'm not going to go mega-cheesy here, but I do want to say that I am immensely grateful that my mom is here with me, continuing to share her life's experiences. I don't take it for granted, because my mom lost her own mother at 19, and wasn't able to ask her questions and have the kind of relationship that I'm able to have. I am still learning so much from my mom - from skincare to how to navigate friendships and motherhood and taking care of my body and mind and heart - she is a wealth of wisdom and I am so thankful that she is here with me. Leaning in. Asking me hard questions and helping me answer them in my own way. With Mothers' Day approaching, I just wanted to share this little tribute to my mom. She's amazing. And she's funny. Never underestimate a woman with a good sense of humor.

All that to say - take care of your skin, you guys! Because my mom says so.

Discount & Giveaway!

RAW Bronzing Studio is located throughout the metro Atlanta, Georgia area, and the studio local to me (location here) is generously offering my readers 25% off the price of a full-body bronzing service at the RAW South location with the code OYKRISTEN. This is an awesome deal for those of you local to me, and with all this warm weather approaching I hope you are able to take advantage of it!

Over on Instagram, I am giving away an awesome gift package to one lucky local, including 4 full-service bronzing sessions ($162 value!) - make sure to check it out, enter and tag your local friends! xx

P.S. - I'm wearing an old Victoria's Secret suit (remember their bathing suit line? RIP, similar here), these high waisted shorts and this leather wrap bracelet. The bandana is my sister's a my mom's outfit details are lost on me - although if you were really curious I could probably figure them out for you ;)

December 22, 2017

Rosy Cheeks, Warm Hearts.

December 22, 2017/ Kristen Hale

It's that time of year! The most wonderful, and also, the time when the weather likes to bite as it says "top of the morning to ya!" We spent some time up in New York last week, and after a few hours playing outdoors in Central Park, our entire family's cheeks were blasted with a good wind-whipped chapping.

Add in some runny noses, because as we've already established, it's that time of year. #virusleavemyhousehold #itsalliwantforchristmas

Oh, and then factor in Daxton's teething predicament. This kid likes to cut teeth at least 2 at a time - which is exactly what he was up to while we traveled last week! I thought he was just mad at me for the excessively cold weather...

Needless to say, our family has had a lot of drippy noses and wet cheeks and wind-burned knuckles (southern kids don't know how to keep mittens on) - so what's a mama to do?

Baby Face Nose + Cheek Balm.
It's no surprise that we are into natural remedies over here - I've been on a journey to find natural and non-toxic solutions that actually work for my family (you can check out my Green Beauty Trials posts for more info about this journey.) I've tried a lot of products, especially over the past year. Which is why it was a no-brainer when we were sent this Earth Mama Organics Face, Nose & Cheek Balm - I slathered my kids (and husband!) with this stuff and I must say, we are hooked. I've gushed about my love for Earth Mama Angel Baby products before (remember this postpartum must-haves post?), and now that the company has rebranded as Earth Mama, there are several new high-performing products being added to the family of products, and I am stoked. This balm in particular is an an all-purpose remedy that is 100% organic and formulated without parabens, petroleum, preservatives or artificial fragrance. Instead it treats skin vulnerabilities with a rich calendula coconut balm, one that has been formulated specifically for use around a baby's mouth. It's so safe, technically you could eat this balm. It's probably Whole30 compliant ;)

Check out the cutest little video clip about this Face, Nose & Cheek balm! I want to take that little girl home with me ;)

NEW! Baby Face Organic Nose & Cheek Balm: Petroleum jelly has met its organic herbal multipurpose match. Babies and toddlers have to battle drool chap, dry chin and runny red noses, not to mention red, grumpy skin from colds and teething.

Also, I want to say something quickly about the new packaging - isn't it beautiful? The new logo and color scheme is sleek and warm and I just LOVE it - it suits the products better than the previous packaging and as someone who cares about packaging... I am amped about this new look and feel to the brand.

As for the balm - it has been in constant rotation in my household over the past few weeks. I want to share a few of my favorite ways to use this balm, not just on my baby, but on my toddler, my husband AND myself!

My Favorite Uses:
1.) BEFORE GOING OUTSIDE: Slather thickly across the cheeks, on the lower bridge of the nose, underneath the nose (if my wiggly children let me!) and over the curve of the chin. This balm acts like a protective layer while kiddos (or adults!) are outside in the elements, whether riding in the stroller or running around playing.

2.) BEFORE GOING OUTSIDE: Rub on the tops of hands (mine, as well!) - over the knuckles and fingers. Even if I'm wearing gloves, this seriously helps keep my hands from drying out and cracking. Bloody cracks in the hands just aren't cute.

3.) AFTER BATHTIME: I like to coat my kids' faces from the nostrils down in this balm. It insulates the skin and protects against dryness from the heat in the house and the bath. It seals the skin and promotes a restful evening of sleep.

4.) ON DIAPER DUTY: This balm even works as a natural diaper rash cream! After applying on my son's sore bottom and then checking it again just 1 diaper change later, his rash was cleared up! You really can't ask for more in a balm.

This multi-purpose balm is quickly becoming the swiss army knife in my medicine cabinet. In fact, the other day my husband asked me for some lip balm, and then immediately found the Face, Nose & Chin Balm and said, "Oh never mind, I got it."

I love having products in my home that are so safe and so high-performing that THIS mama doesn't have to work quite as hard to do everything for everyone. I also love the feeling of this product replacing several other products in one fell swoop - no need for dozens of babycare products when this one ticks so many boxes for our family needs. Plus, I really love snuggling my little babes just after we've applied this balm - watching them tumble around, goof off and play with their ruby, well-oiled cheeks gleaming, well I can't help but smile. It is, indeed, the most wonderful time of the year.