Nature Feeds My Soul

I grew up in the country (outside the city, in nature), on over 90 acres of land. 

On top of that I was homeschooled through fifth grade, meaning I spent a lot of time around home, which I absolutely loved. 

I was in the middle of the woods, surrounded by nature and animals. 

The most ponies/horses we’ve had at one time was 13 I believe. We have always had two dogs, a handful of cats, a parrot that’s older than I am, and we once had two pigs, two jersey calves and a crippled angus calf around the same time. 

I also grew up with three siblings. A sister 21 months older than me and then two brothers, three and five years younger than me. We would run around the woods creating make believe worlds, and swim in a particular part of our creek we called the Frog Pond. 

But as I got into junior high and high school I started to resent this little slice of heaven I grew up on. I wanted the city and I couldn’t wait to get as far away from the country as I could. 

But as the years pass the more I can feel myself pulled towards the trees, the birds and the ability to see the stars at night.

When the occasion comes to get back down to my parent’s place I relish in those moments spent outside. I soak in how incredibly calm and peaceful it is. 

I forget until I get back out there how much nature nourishes me. 

I find myself in these moments, out there in the trees, where I can just stop, breath deep and look up towards the sky. What better time to stop and become present in that moment, to find gratitude for being in that place. 

And I am reminded each time, how much good this does for me, and how I need to continue to find space for nature in my life. 

Keeping Up With Minimalism

As I finished “The Magic Art of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo, she wrote that (and I could be remembering this incorrectly) that you should only do this huge declutter once. 

And part of me finds that misleading. Yes, I haven’t done one to that magnitude, but I have done a series on mini cleanses since then, which I find very beneficial in my journey of keeping up with it all. 

The most important part of that process is changing your mindset as you go along. 

Because moving forward from that first initial cleanse you’re going to want to focus on being a conscious consumer more than anything. Staying on top of every item that makes its way into your home is much easier than having to do a giant declutter one a year. 

Creating a Want List on my computer

If something pops in my head, i want that. Instead of impulse buying stuff I write it down on a list I have on my computer. Whether it’s clothes, electronics, a book or something for the apartment, it goes on the list. Then i can start searching for it, seeking out the exact one I want, at the right price. And in the end there are a lot of items that I don’t actually end up wanting/getting in the end. 

Nixing the weekly shopping trips to the thrift store

I needed to stop buying things just because they’re super cheap, and it is something to do. I love a good thrift store hunt/find, but if you don’t go in with a particular item in mind you can end up leaving with 5 different pieces, and doing that weekly, ads up.

Buying with longevity in mind

Realizing it is OK to spend more if it will last longer. That’s the new goal for me, finding staple, quality pieces that will last long and not go out of style. Whether this is stuff for our house, clothes or beauty products. I want to surround myself with things I love and aren’t full of harmful ingredients. 

Spend a few extra minutes every three months when I’m creating my capsule wardrobe to go through my clothes and donate pieces I don’t wear/have been holding on to

I can look back on that previous capsule at the pieces I didn’t wear, and even items from previous seasons and pass those items along to someone who needs them or loves them more. 

Do mini declutters

Set yourself declutter goals. For example, this week I’m going to go through books, go through the bathroom drawers, kitchen cabinets, etc. 

This saves you from giant declutter session once a year, or every few years. It also keeps it from getting out of hand. 

Spending 15-30 minutes every morning tidying up the apartment as well as doing little tidies throughout the day

The dishes, making the bed, and putting stuff away after I use it. If you bite off small chunks it's much easier than trying to eat the whole cake at once. 

Deep cleaning apartment once a week

     - wash sheets

     - vacuum

     - dust

     - wipe down bathroom, kitchen

Planning meals

Take a look at how often you are actually going to be home over that next week, how many meals will you actually eat. Look at what you already have in the pantry that you can build meals from.  Make a shopping list. This keeps you from buying too much or what you don’t need and will waste

I always take five minutes when I get home with the groceries to go through fridge and clean out any old tupperware, food, etc. 

Make big batches of certain meals that can last you few days. 

Some of these may seem completely unrelated to what you think minimalism is. But for me, this mindset has spread out into almost every aspect of my life, far beyond what I've even written about today. 

I think there is this huge misconception that minimalism is just about owning nothing. But for me it is all about learning how to be selective with what you allow into your life.

My 2017 Summer Goals

Seeing that summer is almost here, I thought it might be helpful to set a few summer goals for myself. I know you’re supposed to focus on setting actual tasks that can be ticked off a list, but I’ve realized quite a few of mine are more over arching themes. 

And I’m OK with that. 

ONE — spend more time being active outside

Over the winter, when I was home, I got pretty good at doing my 2 p.m. yoga session in my living room. But now that is is beautiful out I love finding ways to do my daily physical activity outside. 

This means going and riding my bike and my long board. As well as going on walks and maybe even a run (jog) every now and then. 

TWO — take advantage of nice weather, and appreciating it

I know this one connects itself to number one on my list. But, I spend so much time in the cold months cooped up inside because I just really dislike the cold. But now that it’s warm out, I need to get into the habit of taking myself outside to enjoy the weather I spent so many months wishing for. 

Sunshine and blue skies feed my soul. This can be as simple as sitting in hammocks, going on walks and going camping. 

THREE — get back into journaling, meditation and yoga.

When things got a bit crazy last month a few things had to give way to what had to get done. Unfortunately it was these things that I know have such an incredible impact on my overall well-being. 

Before we went to Bali I was doing a daily meditation and it was great. 

While in Bali I did a ton of yoga and my body felt great. I even came home thinking I might want to get my teacher training done. 

And up until last month I was consistently journaling every single morning.

All things I enjoy, and all things I want to get back into the habit of. 

FOUR — read more

Once again, normally I am always reading, but I didn’t have time to do it last month. 

I’m going to put together a summer reading list and start knocking it out. Summer is a great time to read books. Grab a blanket, grab a hammock, get outside and read. Not to mention reading before bed instead of being on your computer or phone. 

The current book I’m working my way through is actually one I’ve had on my bookshelf for a few months. “The Greatest Experiment Ever Performed on Women: Exploding the Estrogen Myth"

FIVE —  start a second FemmeHead channel

This is a tangible step. One I know I’m already going to do. I want a place to share more behind the scenes life vlogs and videos. 

And to be honest. It might even have happened by the time this goes up. 

SIX — more time with family and friends

I’ve been doing a good job at this so far this year, but it’s one that I want to keep up on. Since quitting my job in January I have found that I spend quite a bit of my time alone, at home, working. Which is great, it is where I am most productive and focused. But this also means I need to put more effort into that time outside of work, and fill it up with social interaction, or I start to go a bit batty. 

SEVEN — drink more fluids (a never ending goal)

Do I even have to go through the benefits? [better complexion, digestion, energy, everything]. 

I’m really good at drinking my coffee every morning. But rubbish at drinking water. 

Spicy foods really helps. As well as making sure you have a glass or some sort of container of water near you at all times. 

EIGHT — eat more fresh fruits and vegetables

This is one of those things that is easy and natural. These are the things I crave. But winter can be a time of comfort, of seeking out warmth. 

But as the seasons grow warmer it is not only easier to find fresh fruits and vegetables, but that's what I find myself gravitating towards anyways. 

In the end these are all pretty simple, achievable goal themes for the summer. But I find that taking the time to sit down, think through what I want to accomplish, and write it all down helps guide me through my daily activities. 

Why I Declutter My Closet Every Three Months

I’m constantly editing out different things here and there in the space around me. 

Try as I may things are bought, given and borrowed, which all end up taking up residence in our home. And if you don’t stay on top of it, it can all get out of hand. 

Case in point: my closet. 

I think my personal style has changed more in the past two years then it has in quite some time. Maybe that’s just part of growing up. 

I try to take this information with me when buying things. A consistent goal of mine is to be a conscious consumer. To not buy something that I don’t need, or worse — I’m quickly going to get bored with. And while I’m not perfect I’m getting there. I’m learning along the way. 

I’ve been doing capsule wardrobes for almost a year now, and this has given me a perfect timeline to reassess my closet every three months. 

I start by making sure all of my laundry is clean and put away. Then I will pull all my out of season clothes in with my last capsule so I have all of my clothes in one place. 

I will then work my way through the selection, picking pieces for that upcoming season, creating my new capsule. And as I’m doing this I often find a piece or two, sometimes several, that I haven’t worn in quite some time. 

And there are still a few pieces I’ve noticed that I’ve held on to even though I knew I didn’t wear them. A dress I bought a few years ago from H&M in London. It was blue, it was velvet and it was tight. I wore it to one wedding two years ago and haven’t worn it since. I’ve kept it for so long because I felt guilty for the money I spent on it, hoping I could find an occasion to wear it again. 

I just folded it up with my give away pile today. 

I’ve also noticed I’m still transitioning from my college self into my “adult” self. I’ve evolved from oversized, comfortable and eclectic to more put together, refined and cohesive. I’ve been trading in for staple pieces that can be worn with multiple outfits, and aren’t trendy so I can continue to wear them for years to come. 

And even though I first cleaned out my closet over a year and a half ago, I still find it hard at times to let go of certain things. 

But boy oh boy do I still get this incredible sense of satisfaction from decluttering. It’s addicting if I do say so myself. 

Having a capsule wardrobe has given me the perfect opportunity to continuously stay on top of my closet. If you don’t already I encourage you to take a good look at your wardrobe every 3-6 months, and pass along those items you don’t wear. 

I promise you’ll feel incredible afterwards.

My Argument Against Being Constantly Entertained

There is an endless supply of fun and amusement these days, mainly thanks to the internet. And because of that it is really easy to fill up every ounce of your day with some sort of stimulant. From social media to Netflix you don’t have to go a moment without entertainment. 

And this isn’t me saying you need to be some tech-free hermit. No, no. The internet is this amazing thing. Technology is incredible. 

But the point I want to make today is to make sure you are giving yourself moments of not being stimulated. 

We’re all guilty of this.

Avoid that urge to click your phone on in uncomfortable situations.  

Looking at our phone to avoid making eye contact with someone on the sidewalk. 

Getting on Instagram instead of just sitting alone somewhere. 

Clicking on a podcast, or music instead of just being with your thoughts. 

And it’s habit isn’t it? We do all this without even noticing we’re doing it. 

I’m just as guilty as the next person. But I’ve had a few moments recently of not filling that void, and it has been magical. 

Just this weekend I was driving us back from hanging out with family for Memorial Day weekend, and instead of listening to the radio or a podcast while I drove (and Michael slept) I just sat there in pure, delicious silence. 

Michael kept waking up to ask if I wanted him to put something on, and each time I said no. 

Another instance was when I was painting the trim on the outside of a house. The first day of the job I listened to a number of podcasts. I thoroughly enjoyed them because  I never think to listen to podcasts. 

But the next day I didn’t listen to any podcasts, and just kind of worked with nothing but my own thoughts. And it was actually quite amazing. 

It has been quite some time since I’ve had to do a pretty mindless task and not had some sort of entertainment happening in at least the background. TV, music, a YouTube video.

To be alone with yourself for hours on end. 

Because I found so much joy in those moments I have made it a point to not fill up space with unnecessary entertainment 24/7. 

For me this includes things like:

+ sitting down and eating my food without watching YouTube

+ continuing to drive in quiet 

+ working without distractions going on in the background

+ staying off my phone when I’m with others

+ walking down the street without pulling out my phone to make me feel more comfortable (sometimes I’ll even smile, and say hello to people) 

What ways do you find time to just be alone with yourself, your thoughts or even just when you’re with other people? 

I challenge you to find those moments, and make more of them. 

The Beauty of Multiple Streams of Income

I’m trying to remember a time when I only had one job. 

You see, I’ve always worked a variety of odd jobs. I helped my parents flip houses from junior high through high school, then I worked in a coffee shop, a mall, my college, a restaurant, another restaurant and another restaurant, all while nannying and painting on the side. 

And I think there’s something awesome about realizing that your money doesn’t have to come from just one place. 

I think that’s pretty freeing as well. 

And don't for a second think that I'm bragging, gloating about how rich I am. 

I'm neither. (Gloating nor rich).

Even now that I have FemmeHead, my money I make through that doesn’t come from just one place either. And I think that’s a big misconception/confusion people have when wanting to start an online business. 

I know I was really confused for a long time how people made money online. 

So, I wanted to break down all the various places I currently have money coming from. 

Let’s start with FemmeHead:

 + I make money when people take/buy one of my courses.

+ I make money when someone does 1-on-1 coaching with me. 

+ I make money through affiliate codes (such as Amazon, Daysy, and RubyCup). 

+ I make money from YouTube through ad revenue. It starts trickling in at a few cents a day, then a few dollars a day, and so on. It took me a year on YouTube before I had that cents to dollars jump. And over the past month YouTube has been struggling with advertisers so I've seen a 50% cut in my revenue from them. 

None of these things on its own could even come close to being able to support me. With all of them combined I almost have enough to get by. 

This is where you have to make the decision to find other sources of income. And when you’re starting off there shouldn't be that embarrassment of “Well, I work here."

For me this used to be waitressing. And I struggled talking to people about where I worked. I had a lot of internalized guilt and embarrassment when it came to this. 

I absolutely dreaded the question, “So, Victoria. What do you do?"

We all want to have some super cool, super professional answer to this. 

And the sucky part of this is that I actually really enjoyed working there. I just really got bogged down with the judgemental looks, and “oh, so where do you go to school?” (assuming that's the only reason I would work there). Things like that. 

Now, that I quit waitressing, but I’m not quite to the point where I can fully support myself just with FemmeHead, I’ve had to look into other avenues of making money. 

And yes, believe me this is a point of stress at times, but I try to look at it as a fun challenge. 

This has involved both creating new parts of FemmeHead, as well as using skills I already have outside of FemmeHead. 

I’m constantly creating new things for my business, (I’m currently working on merchandise and a workshop). And I have started painting houses on the side. 

One of the perks of living in Des Moines is the cost of it all is fairly low in comparison to other parts of the country. I hear what people pay for just rent in some cities and I’ll just about choke on what I’m eating/drinking. 

And because I live with someone, our costs are all pretty much split, which makes things like rent and groceries really manageable. 

So I guess what I’m saying is that you have to look at the big picture.

What are your necessities? Are there certain expenses that you view as "must haves" but really could be cut back on a bit?

Don’t limit yourself to one “job". I know this is nothing new. People work two, three jobs all of the time.

Use the skill sets you have and build on them.

And don’t be embarrassed by what you do. I spent too long with a lot of anxiety built up around all of this. But as soon as I decided to "own it", life became much more enjoyable. 

[Potentially sad news: I have been reassessing FemmeHead this week. At the end of the day it is my business and livelihood, so with the ad revenue issues on YouTube, I'm most likely going to have to take a step back a bit from videos, and focus more of my time elsewhere. But I don't want to stop making videos all together. I wanted to give everyone an opportunity to support what I do on YouTube. If this calls out to you, go check out my Patreon page to see how you can support the work done at FemmeHead.]

Finding Goldilocks | My Search for the Perfect Hair Care Routine

I’ve had just about every hair color and hair cut that one could have. 

Brown to blonde to purple, black and red. 

Angled bob, long, pixie and medium length cuts. 

We all spend a great deal of time searching for the hairstyle that suits us best. 

And I find myself in a conundrum. When I use typical store bought shampoos, conditioners and such my hair becomes limp and lifeless. But when I try some variation of no-poo method my hair can become brittle and unruly. 

A happy medium between these two is what I’m in search of.

Since returning home in February I’ve been able to put a bit more life with the baking soda/vinegar combination once a week. 

And over the past month I’ve been able to give my hair a little extra nourishment thanks to some natural, organic products by the Innate Life that were sent to me. 

[Disclaimer: While yes, these were “sent” to me, I only chose to accept their offer after checking that they were organic, natural and vegan. And can I just say they came at the perfect time].

On a night where I don’t have anywhere I have to go (be seen) the next day or two I will choose between the Scalp Treatment or the Herbal Hair Mask. 

First off, these smell absolutely amazing, and therefore really have this calming effect on me while I’m sleeping in them. Both are quite thick and therefore make it easy to spread in my hair without dropping a bunch of product through my fingers. 

By the next morning either my scalp or my ends are feeling nice and nourished. I will wash my hair (baking soda/vinegar) and let it air dry. I have found that these are pretty potent and therefore require a second washing later in the day or the following day to get the excess oils out. 

And then the other product from them that I’ve been using is the Rose Hair Elixir. Once again, boy does it smell good, and I love to put this on my baby hairs that are growing back in as well as take away some of the frizz and static. 

I know I need to find a new cleansing system to replace the baking soda/vinegar, because they’re a bit harsh on my hair as well as not as clarifying as I’d like. 

I’ll take any of your suggestions!

I have some soap nuts on their way to me in the mail. They came recommended by one of my 1-on-1 girls, and I’m really excited to try them out. I’m hoping the can continue to give my hair that pumped up life it gets when I don’t use traditional shampoos and conditioners, but at the same time without being as harsh to my hair as the baking soda seems to be. 

"The Kind Mama" | Book Review

My older sister is currently pregnant with what will be the first baby born in my family since my youngest brother was born…21 years ago. 

Let’s just say I’m very, very excited for that little munchkin to arrive. 

And at the same time I’ve had so many thoughts and questions popping into my head about pregnancy and birth. So, naturally I’ve turned to books. Honestly, people probably think I’m the pregnant one!

One of my favorite baby related book I’ve read so far is “The Kind Mama” by Alice Silverstone. The whole time I was reading it I found myself just shaking my head “Yes, yes!”

It was incredible how right everything she was saying felt to me.

She takes you through using a vegan diet to boost your fertility, nourish your pregnancy and heal you after birth. I found this book because I was researching books about having a vegan pregnancy because obviously that is something I want to do, but I want to do it correctly. 

She also talks about breastfeeding and kind parenting, keeping toxic chemicals and other not so good for you things away from you and your family.

Not to mention nourishing, delicious looking recipes to support you through the entire process. 

I loved how open and honest she was about everything. And on top of that how positive and loving she was. While many women are very excited to be pregnant they seem to have a very rough go at pregnancy, labor and birth. 

Reading through this book sparked so many internal questions I had about when that time comes for me. I’ve known I want to do it a certain “way”, but actually seeing the potential for what that could be was amazing.

Things like having a vegan pregnancy, natural home birth, breastfeeding, healing after birth and raising happy, healthy kiddos free of dangerous ingredients and chemicals. 

I’m definitely romanticizing motherhood, but to be honest it’s something I can’t wait for. Especially now that my sister has started her journey.

And when the time comes The Kind Mama will be one of the books I pick up to reread. 

I'm On The Hunt For New Period Underwear

It was last year that I started my excursion into period underwear. It all began with a single pair of Thinx, which was quickly followed by five more. I was hooked.  

They replaced awful disposable panty liners for me, which irritated my poor lady bits and also created a lot of waste. 

I use them as backup for when I use a cup, as well as by themselves on days I have a light flow or  spotting, aka didn’t need a cup. 

But after a few months of use I started noticing some discoloration in the crotch, almost as if they were getting bleached at the center most point of period collection. (TMI? Sorry, not sorry)

I’m not quite sure what is causing this. Possibly it’s that I use a dryer and don’t hang them out to air dry.

I’ve also noticed that the ones with lace have started to fray, the elastic bindings popping out every which way. 

It’s because of all of this that I am in search of some new period underwear. Thinx has dominated the market (good for them) but I’m ready to expand my horizons when it comes to period underwear, spreading the love and support of my monthly flow. 

Some would suggest giving reusable pads a go, which I have and need to (again), but at the moment I would much prefer period underwear. 

So, after a little bit of research, here are my contenders, feel free to weigh in with your thoughts: 

+ LunaPads - the MAIA Bikini + Hipster ($31.99-$34.99) 

Comparable in price, and I like that there's no lace to fray. Plus you can adjust your absorbency as needed. Plus I've heard good things about their reusable pads so I have high hopes for these. 

+ Modibodi - the Classic Bikini ($24.50-$27.50) 

I like the coverage of this one. They look simple, comfortable and effective. Not to mention they're $10 cheaper than some of the others. 

+ Knixwear - Leak-Proof Bikini ($25) 

Can you notice a theme here. I like simple, no frills, comfort when it comes to underwear for my period. I also appreciate these are more inexpensive as well. These would be good for cup back up. 

+ Dear Kate - Jackie Hipster Mini + Nellie Hipster Full ($36-$38)

A bit more on the pricy side. They look like fancier period underwear, but I've heard good things about them. They have different absorbencies depending on what you're using them for. 

+ Panty Prop - Propkini + Propster ($19.99)

The cheapest on this list. They are once again no frills. They come in various colors as well. 

What are your favorite reusable menstrual products? Because right now mine are the combo of period underwear and a menstrual cup. And I'm itching to try some of these on this list. 

Three Different Chickpea Sandwich Recipes

Chickpea sandwiches are one of my favorite things to make. They’re so simple, delicious and you can do so many different things with them. 

While I normally craft them from whatever leftovers I have sitting in my fridge or pantry I wanted to share three of my favorite combos with you today.  (AKA tweak these however you want).

Sweet and Spicy Chickpea Sandwich

+ 1/2 cup of chickpeas

+ 2 T dijon mustard

+ 2 T sriracha

+ salt and pepper to taste

+ 2 slices of toasted bread

+ jam/jelly

I got the inspiration for this one from a local vegetarian cafe here in Des Moines. The trick to this one is to put your favorite jam/jelly on both slices of your toasted bread. Then make your chickpea spread spicy by adding dijon mustard and sriracha (or something comparable), as well as a bit of salt and pepper to your chickpeas, heating them up and smashing them till they’re broken up but not complete mush. Put it all together and enjoy!

Spiced Chickpea Sandwich

+ 1/2 cup of chickpeas

+ 1 T dijon

+ 1 T sriracha

+ 1 T veggie broth

+ 1 T nutritional yeast

+ 1 tsp curry powder

+ 1 tsp chili powder

+ 2 T diced jalapeños 

+ 2 T diced onion

+ salt and pepper to taste

+ 2 slices of toasted bread

+ romaine, spinach or kale

+ 1 sliced tomato

I normally make my chickpea spread with quite a few spices and sauces, but you can use whatever you have in your cabinet that you like. I also use sriracha and dijon to give it flavor and help smooth it out. 

Add your spices and sauces to chickpeas, heat them, smash them, and then add onions. Top with some sort of greens (romaine, spinach or kale) and tomatoes. I like the crunch that romaine or kale gives the sandwich. 

Chickpea and Red Cabbage/Pickled Beet Sandwich

+ 1/2 cup of chickpeas

+ 1 T dijon

+ 1 T sriracha 

+ few tsps of favorite spices

+ 2 slices of toasted bread

+ 1/4 cup of pickled red cabbage and/or pickled beets

Make the spiced chickpea spread the same as the previous recipe, but the key here is topping it with pickled red cabbage or pickled beets. Trust me. 

And there you have it. As you can see I’m not one for structured recipes, but I wanted to give you an idea of some of the ways I like to play around with chickpeas in my sandwiches. 

And while I made all these recipes to make one sandwich, I usually double it and make two sandwiches. 

Some chickpea nutritional facts for you (per 1 cup):

+ 268 calories

+ 14.5 grams of protein (1/4 of my daily protein need)

+ 12.5 grams of fiber (almost 1/2 my daily need)

+ minerals — calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium

+ vitamins — K, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B5 (pantothenic acid) B6, B9 (folate).

I wanted to share a bit of this nutritional stuff to show you how easy it is to get a variety of those different things you need day to day as a vegan/vegetarian. People always wonder, "What do you eat?" and "Where do you get your protein and calcium??" Well, one place is chickpeas. Yum!

All the Period Products I've Used + My Thoughts

While there are MANY period products I have yet to try out, I’ve still had my fair share of variety and use over the past few years. Today I wanted to take you through the progression of my period products, and share my thoughts on them now. 

Disposable pads (various sizes)

This is where it all began — stealing pads from my older sister’s stash because I didn’t want to tell anyone I had gotten my period. I used these for a few months before working up the courage to try out tampons. 

Pads are a good place to start, but they’re pretty limiting when it comes to activities like swimming. Not to mention I found them bulky and uncomfortable, much like wearing a diaper. 

Needless to say I was more than ready to use tampons when the time came. 

Cardboard applicator tampon

Yup. I’m including my one failed attempt at using one of these monstrosities. This was in high school at a wrestling tournament, and of course I was never prepared for my period when it showed up. I had asked around for a pad and this all I could find.

Let’s just say it didn’t help that I didn’t know where my vagina was at this point, or how to put a tampon in, so as you can imagine how well that went — I ended up tossing the tampon and wadding up some toilet paper in my underwear. 

Plastic applicator tampon

These were my product of choice for many years. I used various brands, my favorite being the Platex Sports. 

I went a number of months not understanding how tampons “worked”, and recall listening to a friend explain through a bathroom door to another friend how to put one in. And with that information I gave them a whirl the next time my period came...

The first time I tried to put one in I only put it in about half way before pulling the trigger and pushing it in, which meant that the tampon was literally only halfway into my vagina. Uncomfortable and I knew I had done it wrong. 

Problem was, I couldn’t get it out. You’ll understand this if you’ve ever tried to pull out a dry tampon. 

I had to fill up my bathtub with a few inches of water, squat down low enough for the tampon to make contact with the water, and was able to pull out the saturated tampon. 

Finally got one in correctly a few days later, but then couldn’t get it out, no matter how hard I pulled. I brought a friend into the bathroom to reassure me that it wasn’t stuck. 

Once again, I hadn’t waited long enough before trying to pull it out and it was still too dry. 

Problem with these were that I never had them when I started my period. Bad planning on my part. So I had half used boxes all over the place. 

When I studied abroad in Thailand I had to pack five months worth of tampons because I didn’t know if they would have my brand there. 

I was constantly worried of TSS, I had heard horror stories of moldy tampons and such over the years. And on two separate occasions I unknowingly put in two tampons. (Long story). 

Eventually I wanted to try something else that would create less waste and was made out of less harmful materials. 

Disposable panty liners

I used these in combination with tampons and my menstrual cup at first because no matter what “internal” product I use I leak a little so I need back up. I got fed up with them because they created a lot of waste and they irritated my poor lady bits. 

Reusable Pads     

I got a few of these from a friend when I was at my facilitator training in 2014. While I love the concept of them I found that they were too bulky and didn’t stay in place for me. I’m also very impressed with the girls that can get the stains out of theirs. 

I want to give these another try in the future because I know they work so well for so many girls and women. 

I think these are a great alternative to disposable pads for those starting off with their periods. 

Menstrual Cups

When I first heard that such a thing existed I thought, how the hell is that supposed to go into your vagina!?

     — Lunette Cup was my first, and I think it’s a great starter cup. It was a nice size (comes in 2 sizes). I gave myself three cycles to get the hang of it, and then it became second nature. There was slight discoloration after use, but not bad, and I don’t care about that. 

     — RubyCup came next. I got far too excited to try different types of cups. This is my current favorite, with Lunette in a close second. Flexible, but structured enough to pop open. I love that for every cup you buy they send a cup to a girl in need. The most discoloration I’ve had, but I use it the most, and I don’t really mind it. Plus I was able to get rid of most of it with a good scrubbing. 

     — Mooncup/MCUK. I wanted to try this one because one of my best friends uses this cup. It’s one of the more affordable cups. But I was’t a huge fan of the rim of this cup. And it’s quite firm, which some people prefer, but I like a little more flex in my cup. 

    — OrganicCup is similar in firmness to the Lunette cup, folds up to a similar size to the RubyCup (small). I need to test this one out more, but I like it. 

Reusable Sponge

I first heard about this one when I was reading “Wild”. She uses one while hiking the PCT. I got two of these at the same time that I got my reusable pads. I joke that they are "nature’s tampon" because they work in much of the same way. It’s actually quite easy and comfortable to put in, you just have to wet it, squeeze out the water, and push it in like a tampon. You’ll just want to make sure you put a piece of string or something through it because I struggled quite a bit getting this out the first time (when I had no string in). Just imagine taking a tampon out without the string. There’s quite a bit of digging involved, which resulted in me having to get into the bathtub to pull it out because it was making a bit of a mess. I think these are a great option for those lighter days. 

Period Underwear

I got these to replace my need for panty liners, which was great since I didn’t enjoy those or the reusable pads. I’ve only used the Thinx brand, but I’m in search of new brands to try out (I’ll talk about this soon on the blog). I find period underwear incredibly secure and comfortable. I use them as back up for my cup, and on their own on light/spotting days. Mine are starting to get some discoloration in the crotch as well as some fraying of the elastics. But this could be because I throw them in the dryer instead of hang drying them. 

Phew, Ok, that’s what I’ve tried over the years. Any recommendations or products I’ve totally missed out on?

I'm a Hermit Who Craves Social Interaction

I always hear people say that they’re either an introvert or an extrovert. And I claimed for the longest time that I was an introvert. I am and I’m not. I’ve come to the realization that you can be both. 

I am a total hermit most of the time. I work from home, and there are days that I don’t leave the house (sad, I know). 

But I am a hermit that craves social interaction. If you get me around my friends or a group of fun, outgoing people, I am a total extrovert. I love cracking jokes, making people laugh, and talking other’s ears off. 

I guess you could say I’m a selective extrovert. There are only certain social scenarios where I think, yeah this sounds fun, let’s go do it. It’s been over two years since I’ve stayed up past bar close, and that was for a friend’s bachelorette party. And I distinctly remember thinking, there’s no way I’m going to make it past ten. And then when final call came I thought, oh my god, oh my god, I made it. 

Let’s just say I was proud of myself. 

I’m not an extrovert in that I dislike large crowds of people (think night club or mall). And I’m not an introvert in that I don’t always like being alone. 

I saw someone describe it as a spectrum, and like with most things in life I totally agree that it is a spectrum, rather than you’re either one or the other. 

Most days I love hunkering in over a cup of coffee and working, journaling and getting after my various projects. There’s almost nothing better than a night home alone, with a hot bath, plate of nachos and watching more than my fair share of YouTube videos. 

But for me there has to be a balance. 

Because I also really enjoy weekly get togethers with friends, catching up over a mug of coffee, Nutella crepes or a glass of wine. I like going out to dinner with Michael just as much as I love staying in and cooking a meal with him too. And there are days I just need to go sit and work from a coffeeshop even though I know I’m not as focused as I would be at home.  

I’ve talked before about finding my own personal balance, because I can tell that I have been lacking in the social interaction department lately. 

So, I’ve been challenging myself to say “Yes!” more often to invitations, to be the one arranging get togethers myself, and not waiting for others to initiate it. 

I’m far from perfect and I’ve got a long ways to go, but I’m continuously improving, finding new ways to get out into the world, and hoping to find that equilibrium between my solo and social time. 

Searching for Nutrition + Supplements For Your Cycle

Three great books on this topic:

The two I reach for most often — 

+ The Period Repair Manual, for women with things like irregular cycles, PMS, etc. “Natural treatment for better hormones and better periods"

+ Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition “self-care for improved cycles and fertility, naturally"

Where I point women with more serious menstrual issues like PCOS and Endometriosis — 

+ WomanCode “Perfect your cycle, amplify your fertility, supercharge your sex drive and become a power source” 

It was through these books that I knew I needed to start better supporting my progesterone. And I knew I could do it through food and a few supplements. 

Whenever women reach out with some sort of menstrual issue I always point them towards one of these books. One day I hope it will be within my wheelhouse to offer dietary and medical advice, but for now I feel completely confident and comfortable with my ability to point women towards different resources that will give them the information they need. 

If you’re experiencing an issue with your menstrual cycle I always suggest first digging into your diet. What are you eating? You’d be surprised to realize that even when you think you’re eating what you should be, there are certain things that could be causing your woes. Things like dairy, sugar, processed and packaged foods. 

So before you go looking for some pill to swallow to rid you of all your problems, make sure you have a solid foundation full of nutritious vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, seeds. 

And then maybe you realize you need a little extra assistance from a few, well thought out, supplements. This doesn’t mean you can let go of the focus on your diet. Nope, that needs to be and should be a lifestyle change. I went vegan almost exactly four years ago and I have been continuously learning about nutrition and improving my diet ever since. 

A book that I’m currently working my way through that I’m enjoying is The Kind Mama. It’s all about vegan nutrition, fertility, pregnancy, birth and having some cute kiddos. I think the information in this book surrounding vegan fertility is valuable to any female vegan looking to boost her menstrual cycle. And not in a “I’m ready to start popping out the babies!” sort of way. But you should reach for supercharged fertility even when you’re trying not to get pregnant because you want your body to be in its best shape possible. 

So, with a continued focus on diet and nutrition you can move into looking at possible supplements. And while there will be countless supplements that could help, you'll want to narrow it down to just a few. Which are going to have the biggest impact? Offer the most potential? 

You want to make sure you’re getting quality supplements, and in a form that your body can best absorb. This requires a bit of research but I enjoy that aspect of it. 

And if you don’t feel comfortable making these decisions yourself you can find a local naturopath near you to aid you along the way. Because sometimes there are issues we can’t figure out how to heal by ourselves. And that’s OK. 

Having a 10-step Skincare Routine As a Vegan Trying To Create Less Waste

I know, I know. I’ve been talking a lot about skincare lately, but I feel like I have finally started to crack the code on what my skin needs.

And that is more attention and moisture. But this doesn’t mean I have to sacrifice trying to create less waste and being vegan. There are a TON of products that fall under neither of these categories, and that makes the decision making process that much easier.

I’m not here to claim I’m some perfect vegan, zero-waste, minimalist saint. Ha! I’m not. And to be honest I find a lot of judgement and negativity in theses different communities if you’re not “perfect".

Accept the fact you’re not going to perfect, you’re going to make mistakes and unfortunately people are going to call you out along the way (well, maybe not if you don’t post your adventures online).

Here’s the process I try to go through when finding new products:

+ do I need it?

+ can I make it myself, or is it something I already have?

+ can I get it in a recyclable, or better yet, reusable container?

+ what are the ingredients?

+ was it tested on animals?

And here’s how you can make a more step-heavy skincare regimen as vegan and zero waste as possible.

If you can get products that are multifunctional that’s a great place to start. For example I’m currently using primrose oil for three of the “steps”. 

     Step 1, 9 + 10 — I use primrose oil at the beginning if I need to remove mascara or makeup, which isn’t often, then I use it as the very last step to add extra moisture to everything. 

     Step 2 — I’m going to be trying out Dr. Bronner’s Soap when I use the last few bits of a Pacifica cleanser (it came in a plastic bottle, but was vegan)

     Step 3 — I use baking soda or coffee grounds for exfoliators. 

     Step 4 — I use masks from lush, where they have a reward recycling program for the containers. 

     Step 5 + 6 Aren’t zero-waste because they came in plastic, but in the future I could make them, or find an option not in plastic

     Step 7 — The next serum I’m getting comes in a glass bottle

     Step 8 — I don’t currently have an eye cream, but if I do get another one I will first look into making it myself.

A post that inspired this thought process was Zero Waste 10 Step Korean Skincare Routine from the blog, Paris to Go. If you want some real skincare inspiration go read that post. 

And while some people may think to be a minimalist you have to just keep your skincare to a cold splash of water on your face once a day, I know most women need more than that. Especially in the winter. 

And to be honest you can make all of your skincare products at home, but this combination of products has been working out really well for me. 

To end, don’t forget that staying hydrated, nourished through diet, and the importance of elements like sleep and exercise all have on your skin. 

So get out there and radiate my friends!

How I Chart My Cycle | Natural Birth Control

One of the biggest misconceptions about charting your cycle is that there is only one way to do it.

And this is pretty limiting because if you believe this and think you don’t fall within that certain method that you can’t chart. 

But there are so many different, amazing methods, variations and not to mention all the new technological advances that have been made.

I really do believe that there is a method for everyone. 

I started with the sympto-thermal method, which combines temperature and fluid. In the beginning I also used paper charts before switching to charting apps. I then used a fluid-only method for awhile, then temperature-only with the Daysy. 

So, what have I currently settled on for my Goldilocks charting method? 

I use the sympto-thermal method combined with the Daysy fertility monitor. The reason I like this so much is because I get so much confidence and security from both the sympto-thermal method and Daysy separately. So, using them in conjunction with each other has been really reassuring. 

With the symptom-thermal method you take your basal body temperature every morning at the same time. Two rules to note beyond having to take it at the same time is that you have to do it first thing before getting out of bed, even before just hanging out in bed for 30 minutes before getting up. The other rule is that you have to take your temperature after at least four hours of sleep. 

I used to just take my BBT (basal body temperature) with a simple BBT thermometer from the drugstore. But since getting the Daysy, that has become my thermometer in every sense. 

Not only does it calculate your fertility on its own, it also provides you with a temperature (after syncing it to the app) that you can then use in a more traditional charting method. 

And I take that temperature from my Daysy each day and put it into the Kindara app on my phone, where I also chart my cervical fluid each day, along with a slew of other things. 

So each time I go to the bathroom I will quickly check my fluid before going to the actual bathroom. It takes an extra like 5-10 seconds. Easy.

Some days I wish the Daysy had a digital screen that displayed your temperature, but usually I don’t mind spending the extra 30-60 seconds it takes to sync it to the app in my phone where you can get the temperature. 

All in all I’m very happy with my current method, and I love knowing there are a variety of methods and technologies for charting. 

Charting my cycle has taught me so much about my body, and I love that I can use the same exact method when the time comes that I am ready to try and get pregnant. Which is when a lot of women first start learning about their menstrual cycle. 

[Disclaimer: This post does not teach you FAM. I mention how to take your temperature and fluid, but don’t mention any of the rules.]

[Use the code “FEMME” at checkout to save some money on your Daysy]

I Stopped Using Shampoo + Conditioner...Again

The term “no-poo” makes me cringe. Seriously? We couldn’t come up with a better name for not using shampoo and conditioner? And I can’t say “I’m not washing my hair” because that’s not true. I am. It’s just with household products. 

It’s not the first time I’ve done this. I did it around two years ago, but the difference that time was I stopped brushing my hair, and started letting it dread. A fun process in which I was pretty shocked with how quickly it started to form. That lasted for a few months, and then I decided I wanted to be able to curl my hair, and I didn’t really want dreads. So I brushed it out. 

But recently I noticed my hair was just sad and limp looking. There was no texture or volume. And it got greasy fast. It was really meh and I wanted to inject a little life back into it!

The easiest option was to start using the baking soda/vinegar rinse mix, which I have been using once a week. And my hair is already looking much more voluptuous. 

I keep around a cup of baking soda in a mason jar because the cardboard box you buy it in doesn’t fair well in the bathroom. And I mix up a vinegar rinse using apple cider vinegar, water and a few drops of peppermint essential oil (to mask the ’salad’ scent). I think my ratio is something like two tablespoons or so to a cup of water. 

So, how do I do it?

After wetting my hair I sprinkle about a tablespoon of baking soda into the palm of my hand and drizzle a tiny bit of water to achieve a paste-like texture. I then try to equally distribute that onto a few different spots on my scalp — above my forehead, my ears and the nape of my neck. I think usually go in and mix another batch of paste to spread around the crown of my head, where I get most of the build up and oil. 

When I used this method in the past I would mix baking soda with water in a small bottle and it was more water then paste. I find using the paste method works better for my hair type, and I’ve had better results. 

After I’ve deposited the paste into the different scalp locations I then go in for a nice scalp massage, really focusing on scrubbing away any gunk. I picture it as exfoliating my scalp, focusing my efforts at the roots, trying not to spread the mixture through my hair. 

I scrub for around a minute and then rinse it all out. One thing to note about this method is you’re going to have to spend more time rinsing your hair than with traditional shampoo. I go through my hair a few times scrubbing as I rinse. 

After I feel like my hair is good and free of the baking soda mix I’ll move into the vinegar rinse. I also just have this in a jar. I will carefully pour a bit of it on the bottom half of my hair and then finger comb it through before rinsing it out with water as well. 

I go through this process around once a week, and have found that my hair doesn’t get greasy until the last few days, and I can usually hide the fact that it’s messy by throwing it up. 

In between “cleanings” I will try and give myself scalp massages every other day, especially towards the end of the week when there’s more natural oils in my hair, in an effort to work it down into the rest of my hair. 

And I find that this helps disperse the oil from the roots of my hair, and almost acts as a “dry shampoo” of sorts. It doesn’t always work, but usually it helps make my hair not look quite as oily and therefore I can get another day or two of wearing my hair down before its too oily and I have to wear it up. 

Overall, I’m very pleased with the outcome and how simple it is. In the future I’m interested into looking into and trying out different no-poo methods like soap nuts, but for the time being this is simple and I have everything I need.

Mornings, Mondays + Periods | All Amazing Fresh Starts

I remember the time I used to look at my period’s imminent arrival with a certain sense of dread, an “oh no, this again” sort of outlook.

So, it’s incredible to be in a place where I actually look forward to my period. And I’ll tell you why. 

You period is a fresh start. 

Now I know there are PUH-LEN-TEE of women who would disagree.

And I get it. Periods can suck. They can come at inconvenient times, cause of lot of pain and suffering, and make some god awful messes. 

I’m not here to tell you that changing your perspective can heal your horrible periods. That requires a bit more work. BUT changing your outlook is part of that journey. 

Let’s say you don’t have end of the world periods. Today is for you. 

I was having a great conversation with one of my “students" recently, and she mentioned how she looked forward to her period.

She explained it like hitting a restart button on everything. 

And I couldn’t agree more. 

There’s always this big sigh of relief when I start bleeding, almost as if my body is giving me permission to just take a much needed "slow out” (It’s like a time out, but with out actually stopping everything. Just moving at a more conscious pace.) 

And since the dawn of time there’s also a few, "Phew, I’m not pregnant” sighs of relief. 

It’s like a brand new year, or the start to a new week. 

Later this month I’m going to talk about my love for Mondays, and I think it’s very much the same thing. 

If you’re a morning person it’s quite similar to waking up to a brand new day ahead of you. 

It’s like, no matter what happened yesterday, last week, month or year this is a clean slate. 

Your period (along with the rest of these moments) is a great time to just let go of all that baggage you’ve been carrying around up to that point. 

Let it go. Shed a few layers. And enjoy that effortless lightness that follows. 

Now, you may think I’m a total loon. 

Someone who likes mornings, Monday and getting her periods? 

A few years ago I would have rolled my eyes and gagged a little if I heard some peppy young thing spouting all this. 

But these are the moments that all but beg for us to hit that reset button. 

And I realized as she said all this that I viewed it the same exact way. 

When my period is on its way I always slow down, step back from life and assess a few things. How’s it all going? What’s working? What can I let go of? What can I do to improve this next month? 

I take a deep breath and kind of re-up on all of my goals, redrafting them for the month ahead. 

And I promise if you take this perspective on your coming periods you’ll see nothing but positive results. When I first heard about some of these concepts, just being aware of them was enough for changes to start taking place without any real effort from myself. 

But now that I have put in a conscious effort I am pleasantly surprised month after month. 

What Travel Makes Me Want For the Future

I’m from small town Iowa. I grew up out in the country, and was homeschooled for the first five years of my education. I feel myself drawn back to the nature I grew up around, but I’m so glad I got out and experienced the world. And as you can guess it has had an impact on what I want for my future.

While I’m a huge homebody, I crave and appreciate travel. It’s something that I will never stop doing, whether that’s local or abroad. And while I know my “responsibilities” will change over the years, especially if we have children, I know that won’t stop the travel. We’ll just adapt as we go along.

I don’t want my children to be “spoiled”, and I don’t want to give up on travel after I have kids. Plus I want them to experience the world, and I know that there is so much they can learn from it. 

I love Iowa as a home base, but I absolutely love being able to escape the winter blues as much as possible. Like just about every other person out there I am effected quite a bit by weather. I need sun, I need warmth, I need blue skies. And there’s not a whole lot of that here in Iowa over the winter months. 

We were able to do it this past winter and I hope it’s something that works for us in the years to come — escaping the winter and moving to a warm place for a month or two. 

And I love the idea of putting my kids in international schools, or homeschooling them while we travel. 

There was one morning where I was sitting, working in a coffeeshop in Ubud, and a mother asked if her and her son could sit at my table with me. It was a busy little cafe, where the tables filled up quickly. Of course I said yes. At one point she was talking to her, probably 8 or 9 year old, son about their flights back home, and she asked if he wanted to stop in Thailand on their way back through or come straight back to Indonesia. And he chose come back to Indonesia without stopping in Thailand. I just loved that they were having such a mature conversation, that he had the wherewithal to know what he wanted, and that she was including him in the decision making. 

There’s an awesome looking Green School just south of Ubud, that we didn’t get the chance to tour, but will look into next time. And there are different schools like that around the world that call out to me. I would have loved to have those different experiences growing up. 

Traveling so much has instilled this need for the freedom and flexibility to keep doing it. Something I haven’t perfected but am working towards fitting cohesively into my lifestyle in the years to come. 

Because what works for me is to continue to work as I travel. And this means some semblance of consistency while traveling as well as a stable internet connection. (Seriously, you take for granted good internet until you don't have it).

And that means not having the desire to have certain things back home. I still have no need for a vehicle, and while we’ve talked about the desire to eventually buy a plot of land and build a house we’re not rushing into it. And there are other material “luxuries” that I see no real need for. Fancy clothes, shoes, purses, etc, which fits perfectly into my love for minimalism. 

I’m really excited to see how travel evolves for me over the years, the different places I go, and the experiences I have. 

What is one way in which travel has impacted you?

A Fresh Juice Recipe For Each Phase of Your Menstrual Cycle

Now, I’m not promoting juice fasts, but I love making juices and thought it would be fun to look into creating a recipe to support each phase of your cycle. Obviously you can just choose to each any of these veggies and fruits fresh if you don’t feel like juicing them!

And remember fresh juice is best, not bottled juice or stuff that was juiced hours, or days ago. And if you don’t have a juicer feel free to whip up a smoothie based on these recipes as well!

Menstrual Phase Juice

My goals — nourish, rest + renew

Veggies: beet, kale

Fruits: blackberry, blueberry, grape, watermelon

I love beet, kale and watermelon, which I think would be a great combo for a juice. And I like to balance out my veggies and fruits so it’s not to sweet and not too “earthy”. 

+ 2 beets

+ 4 - 6 sticks of kale

+ 2 - 3 cups of watermelon (I find that the easiest way to juice watermelon is to just toss it in a blender and pour that through a strainer)

Follicular Phase Juice

My goals — reenergize + motivate

Veggies: carrot, parsley

Fruits: grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, pomegranate

Carrots are one of my favorite veggies to juice! I think a great combo would be carrot, orange and then lemon or lime (depending on if you have a preference). 

+ 4 - 6 carrots

+ 2 - 4 oranges

+ 1 lemon or lime

Ovulatory Phase Juice

My goals — outgoing, stamina + motivation

Veggies: chard, spinach, tomato

Fruits: cantaloupe, coconut, raspberry, strawberry

I’m not a fan of chard, but if you are throw it in there! I think a great combo would be spinach, tomato, cantaloupe and strawberry. 

+ 2 handfuls of spinach

+ 4 tomatoes 

+ 1/2 cantaloupe

+ 2 handfuls of strawberries

Luteal Phase Juice

My goals — slow down, let go, + calm down

Veggies: celery, cucumber, ginger

Fruits: apple, peach, pear

I love love love ginger, and apples in juices. But I’m not a fan of celery. A great combo would be cucumber, ginger, apple. 

+ 2 cucumbers

+ “thumb” sized portion of ginger

+ 4 apples

+ 4 stalks of celery (if you’re into that)

I don’t know about you, but I’m drooling just thinking of these. I’m going to go whip up a carrot, apple, ginger juice because that’s what I have sitting in my fridge right now. 

What are your favorite juice recipes? 

I Tried to Make Zero Waste Sheet Masks, and Failed

I’ve been digging into the Korean Skincare craze recently, and I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised. 

Now, if you’re not familiar with the different steps, here is one version of them, which I follow (sort of):

One — oil cleanser

I don’t double cleanse because I never have a full face of makeup on that requires it. I would like to add an oil cleanser eventually, just to try it out, but I haven’t found one quite yet.  

Two — water-based cleanser

I’m using up my Pacifica Sea Foam cleanser, which is a bit too drying for me so I’ll be keeping my eye out for a replacement as I near the bottom of the bottle. 

Three — exfoliator

I’ve just been using coffee grounds or baking soda. 

Four — toner

I’m using the Son & Park Beauty Water.

Five — essence

I got the Missha Time Revolution to use for this step. 

Six — serum

I ran out of serum but have my eyes set on the Klairs vitamin C serum. 

Seven — mask

I’ve been using two masks from Lush, Rosy Cheeks and Oatfix, which I love. But this is the particular step I want to talk about today, so once you’ve finished reading the next three steps we can continue with my tale. 

Eight — Eye Cream

I’m at the end of my Kiehls eye cream, and I’m maybe thinking an Innisfree eye cream next. I want to look into ingredients and such before getting my next one. 

Nine — moisturizer

Working my way through my Alaffia day cream (yup, I use it in the morning and before bed). 

Ten — SPF or overnight mask

SPF is something I try to wear, especially since I’ve been going to warmer, sunnier places (I’ll fry like a lobster without it). But I’m really interested in finding an overnight mask that checks off all my requirements. 

Ok, now that you’ve gotten that all in your head, let’s go back to step seven, masks. 

Now, this is what I want to talk about today. What’s even more popular then the 10-step skincare process is Korean sheet masks themselves. But I take issue with how much waste they create. 

Think about it. Some women use a sheet mask a day, which creates a lot of trash, and even just three a week adds up!

I was tinkering with the idea of creating my own zero waste sheet masks, but  I didn’t want to waste a bunch of precious liquid by soaking it into a self-made muslin mask. 

And I didn’t want to blow through a bunch of money going out and buying all the supplies. So, what to do? 

I decided to take a look at recipes I liked, and to see if I couldn’t just alter them to fit the ingredients I already had at home. 

One recipe that I found was for a hydrating mask on Rookie. Here’s the original ingredients: 

+ 4 ounces coconut water

+ 1/4 tsp melted coconut oil

+ 1 tsp grapeseed oil

+ 1/2 tsp olive oil

Instead of using grape seed oil, which is great for acne-prone skin for it’s astringent qualities, I’m going to use my evening primrose oil, which is not only moisturizing, but has fatty acids great for soothing itchy, inflamed skin. 

I borrowed some coconut oil from my mom because your girl is currently out. And I decided instead of coconut water I was going to go with good old fashion water that I've distilled first. 

My mom had some fabric that should've could've worked, but it just didn't. It was a hilarious process making the fabric mask. (I was alone in my bathroom, cracking myself up as I made it). But it wasn't going to stay on my face unless I attached a few straps and tied it to my head. 

So, instead of using a sheet mask I just slapped the ingredients on my face and let them soak in. Well, I left out the water and just put the oils on instead. 

I’ve discovered that DIY homemade masks are awesome, when I want to go that route I just look at what I have and whip something up. And my other go to lately has been Lush masks. Like I said I have two that I’m currently using. They have a recycling program where if you bring in five of their pots your get a free mask. Win, win! 

I wasn’t too gung-ho on the 10-step skincare routine at first because it seemed like a lot of steps, and it seemed wasteful buying tiny things of products, but I’ve found a good middle ground with using products I already have as well products that fall within my skincare guidelines and I’m quite happy with where it’s at. 

And my skin has be ever grateful for the extra TLC and moisture this winter.