As a child with an April birthday, I felt so hurt by the old saying, “April Showers Bring May Flowers.” I identified strongly with my birth month, and the idea that it was famous for rain was insulting to me. I felt personally slighted that this grand, glorious month I looked forward to each year […]

If you’ve ever dreamed of being on one of those “30 under 30” or “40 under 40” lists, like “the top 40 women in business who are under 40 years old,” welcome to the club. I used to fantasize about that. But as I watched the opportunity to be a “20 under 20” pass me by, followed, […]

Since I tend to gravitate towards more floral scents, I never gave Palo Santo much thought. Also, if I’m being totally honest, I think I lumped it in my mind with another “P” ingredient used in a lot of natural products, Patchouli, which I do not particularly like. So I kind of ignored Palo Santo […]

What does it mean to be rich? Certainly it means something different to me now than it did when I was a kid, or even when I was in my 20s. Now, in my late 30s, with two small kids, a head full of ideas, and a million things I want to do, I measure […]

I’ve been writing the blog for Integrity Botanicals for a while now. This is my 17th blog post here, and, since it contains entries from all my co-workers, it’s the one where I have to do the least amount of writing. AND YET. This is the hardest assignment I’ve ever been given. Those absolute monsters, Terri […]

Like a lot of Conscious Consumers, I have mixed feelings about Black Friday. On one hand, as a certified Product Junkie, I love the bargains and deals and special offers. On the other hand, the idea of making people work in retail stores starting at 4 am the day after Thanksgiving, when I’m cozy in […]

Have you ever thought that you basically have it all figured out? Not about everything, but about something in your life? For me, I thought I had my skincare routine all set. I thought I needed about 27 steps in my routine and 85 different products on my shelf. I knew that selecting non-toxic, all-natural […]

I pride myself on being an expert in some beauty things: on-the-go lipstick application without a mirror, understanding the best way to use face oils and toner together (you mix first in your hand, then apply to face! You’re welcome!), how to style dirty hair (dry shampoo FTW)… the list goes on, but I won’t […]

Fall is a time for new things. New pencils and notebooks for a new school year. New clothes. New shoes. New haircuts and backpacks and schedules. But what about those of us who are no longer in school? Don’t we deserve some serious New, too? Never fear, newness is here! And what’s better than just […]

I really love to travel. Wait, let me rephrase that: I really want to love to travel. And I really love the idea of travel. But the actual reality is that travel kind of stresses me out! For example, right now as I write this, I am preparing to go on a trip for over […]