I’m an LA-based copywriter and blogger with 20+ years of experience in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. After 12 years in New York City and a brief stint in Pittsburgh, I (finally) relocated to Los Angeles in 2015. I’ve created, shaped, and written copy for some of the world’s leading companies, including Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Drybar, Fabletics, American Eagle Outfitters, Ralph Lauren, Sugarfina, Aerie, Tatcha, Dermalogica, Murad, K-Swiss, Unique Vintage, JustFab, and Splendid. I have also written for InStyle, Shape, TODAY.com, Well+Good, Insider, STYLECASTER, Harper’s Bazaar, Allure, Glamour, and Woman’s World.
In January 2007, I started my own blog, The Beauty of Life. As I looked around my bedroom one fateful night, my eyes alighted on the Illume Violet Rose Candle … and, just like that, the blog was born. But I really have a lifelong passion for fashion and beauty. Playing the Youngest Royal Child in The King and I at 4 years old (complete with a full face of pancake makeup and loads of black eyeliner) was just the beginning. Over the years, I’ve cultivated my obsessions of bold nail polish, candles, Bonne Bell Lip Smackers, Minnie ears, and strappy-heeled sandals. And yes, I still have my two Caboodles from 1991!
What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness may seem kind of obvious — but it’s taking care of yourself. Your skincare routine, your self-care rituals, how you’re showing up for yourself each and every day. This can be everything from getting a facial and giving yourself a manicure to taking a walk and reading a book.
As I’ve gotten older, I definitely have thought a lot about this in regard to my beauty routine specifically. I am much more conscious about the ingredients in my products and what I’m actually putting into my body. This isn’t to say I never treat myself to a fun meal from McDonald’s or something — it’s all about balance! — but, at the same time, knowing what ingredients are in your beauty products is so important.
All that being said, wellness is a personal journey that I think is ever-changing and growing throughout your life. It’s never too late to start your own journey!
Have you always been into wellness or did you one day realize the importance of it?
My wellness journey started pretty young, more in the form of loving fashion and beauty and taking time to explore those from a young age. Even though I didn’t necessarily KNOW it was wellness or self-care, I still was putting those into practice by getting manicures or getting my hair done. I also was pretty conscious of aerosols being bad for the ozone layer as early as the 80s — while everyone else was busy spraying their hair with aerosol hairspray, I was using a spritz bottle!
It’s definitely evolved throughout my life, though, and I think being in the business I’m in has helped open my eyes to the importance of using products that are helpful instead of harmful. And that goes as much for the environment around you as it does for your own body!
Do you have any guilty pleasures or is it important for you to live this life 24/7? How do you view “guilty pleasures”?
You know what? I don’t actually consider anything a “guilty pleasure.” If it brings you joy, why should you feel guilty about doing it? So some of my pleasures include reading (I recently discovered the Kindle app’s quarterly challenges and daily reading tracker features, and I’m obsessed), spending time with my friends and family, going to Disneyland (I have an annual pass, and 50 pairs of Minnie’s ears hanging on my wall!), exploring the restaurant and bar scene in Los Angeles, giving myself manicures while I binge-watch TV shows, and treating myself to a gluttonous meal from a fast food restaurant once in a while. As I said, it’s all about balance!
What advice would you give your younger self about wellness?
As you get older, you’ll learn more about what wellness means in the grander sense, and what it means to you specifically. Don’t be afraid of trying new things or exploring new paths that can lead to a better understanding of wellness and how you can best benefit from it.
