My friend Christina
I'd like to introduce you to my friend Christina. We met six years ago at Sunnymont-Westside, the preschool I think you all should seriously consider for your children. It changed my life in so many positive ways. One of many is my dear group of friends, which includes Christina. We hike together, swap kids, double-date, commiserate, encourage each other, and geek out on make-up together (more on that later). We both LOVE ice cream and we both are sensitive to caffeine. Our kids are close friends that drive us crazy with their shared Pokemon obsession. Our husbands are drinking buddies. It's all around good stuff.
One thing I really love about Christina is she is the kind of person who promotes positivity and wants to raise up other women and girls. She struggles when her daughter is mistreated by "queen bees" on the playground and does what she can to raise kids who are kind and thoughtful. Her Facebook timeline is filled with memes that say things like "Raising my kids is the most exhausting thing I am grateful to do" and "If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you" and "Give more attention to what is right in your life than what is wrong" and "Beauty is not in the face, Beauty is a light in the heart." She is deeply appreciative of all that she has and writes heartfelt thank you notes. Completely devoted to her family, Christina works hard to be one of the best moms I know.
So a few years ago when she decided to start her business as a Younique make-up presenter, of course I wanted to support her. I'm generally not the kind of person that likes the home marketing stuff, but since I'm a huge fan of Christina and I think make-up is fun, I gave her a chance. Three years later, all of my MAC make-up has been completely replaced by Younique product and I love it! As it turns out, MAC was irritating my eyes in a way that Younique does not and they still have all the bright, fun, crazy colors that I like. And since my whole career (my life!) is devoted to supporting moms, it feels pretty good that my make-up budget is allowing a hard-working mom to do work she loves while being available to her kids. As a company, Younique has a mission of supporting and empowering women. Their Younique Foundation provides healing opportunities for survivors of sexual abuse. That's a mission I can get behind.
So back to that geeking out on make-up thing. I love make-up because it suits my theatrical side. It's a way to be a grown-up and get to play dress up anytime I want. I do it differently almost everyday. Christina gets so excited about what she does! I love when I get a moment and catch her Facebook Live tutorials. Her inner beauty shines when she is working on the outer beauty. She appreciates the selfies I send her on the days I love my look, treats me to her new tips and tricks, and gives me first dibs at the new releases. When I drop by her house, she often greets me with something like, "I've got to show you this new lipstick..." or "You're going to love the new mascara..." (And she's right! Love me some Epic Mascara!) She did Jeannessa's make-up for prom and sometimes she practices on my face, which I think is so much fun. It makes me feel like a teenager again!
If you want to check out Christina's fun tutorials, or try out the Younique line, find her at validatingbeauty.com. Or send me a note and I'll add you to her fun Facebook group, where you can get all kinds of fun and practical make-up tips from a real person, rather than a beauty "expert" who has no idea of the demands of motherhood. (Five-minute face: yes, please.)
Being a mom is a challenge. Being a mom in Silicon Valley adds an extra layer of challenge. It brings me great joy to support the moms in my community, whether it's through our yoga practice, exchanging reassuring words with a mom on the street, or supporting a local mom-preneur. Please share your favorite mom-businesses in the comments below or just some positivity! Let's be like Christina and spread the encouragement and good vibes around!