I had so much fun sharing Bright Day with you all last year, and I cannot wait to do it all again in 2023!
One of my favorite things to do at the end of every year is to see what products you loved most throughout the year. While there are a lot of familiar products on the list again this year, you all changed some of your tastes and I am here for it!
]]>I had so much fun sharing Bright Day with you all last year, and I cannot wait to do it all again in 2023!
One of my favorite things to do at the end of every year is to see what products you loved most throughout the year. While there are a lot of familiar products on the list again this year, you all changed some of your tastes and I am here for it! This is what makes having a product-based business such a fun and rewarding challenge.
Take a look at the lists below and comment if you bought any of these favorites last year! If you haven't tried them yet, pick some up this month at 20% off! Shop the Top Products Collection at brightdaybathandbody.com
Sweet Dreams Soap, brightdaybathandbody.com |
The classic scent of lavender just can't be beat when it comes to soap! Or is it the delightful moon and stars design? Either way, you all loved this soap the most again in 2022!
Peachy Keen Lip Balm, brightdaybathandbody.com |
Tea Tree & Peppermint BN Soap, brightdaybathandbody.com |
Citrus Bliss Soap, brightdaybathandbody.com |
DID YOU NOTICE ANY TRENDS?
Yep, Soap ruled the list once again! Well, with the exception of that Peachy Keen Lip Balm you all loved so much. It makes sense - soap was the original product that inspired Bright Day and continues to be the most popular. I especially love that a Bright Naturals Soap has made it on the list as well- Tea Tree & Peppermint essential oils are an epic combination!
Cool as a Cucumber Collection, brightdaybathandbody.com |
You all played it COOL in 2022! 😎 You must have been collectively craving some spa-like, calming vibes in your body care routine last year. Cool as a Cucumber went from #6 in 2021 to #1 in 2022! The beauty of this collection is that it's not a sweet cucumber-melon scent, it's more of a fresh cucumber water scent.
Peachy Keen Collection, brightdaybathandbody.com |
Last year's #1 collection drops one place, to the still impressive #2 most popular scent in 2022! The Peachy Keen Collection is universally loved by everyone who smells it, I swear! Fruity, sweet, and not overpowering, it's a perfect blend of peachy & apricot that fits into any time of year.
Pineapple Party Collection, brightdaybathandbody.com |
I can't believe that a LIMITED EDITION Seasonal collection is in the Top 3! That's how much you all 😍LOVED😍 the Pineapple Party Collection last summer. It was only available for July & August, and it sold nearly as well as our top two collections. Should we bring the party back for Summer 2023? 🎉🍍
Comment below and let us know!
]]>Do you ever find yourself gravitating towards the great outdoors in times of stress or anxiety? I know that I do!
Any time my anxiety spikes (which is pretty much all the time in today's world), I find myself itching to get outside in a quiet space for fresh air and a fresh perspective. It always does the trick, but I've honestly never really thought too hard about why that is. I've always just assumed it's either a deeply rooted human instinct to find comfort in the larger world, or maybe I'm just a nature lover and that happens to work for me.
It turns out that we are somewhat universally hardwired to find solace, comfort and peace in nature! Scientific studies have looked at specific areas of the natural world and what their effect may be on humans. Ready to boost your mood with nature?
Birds don't just have beautiful songs - many are beautiful to look at! I photographed this Yellow-Rumped Warbler in Hoquiam, WA.
If you follow me in Instagram, you know this one is my fave! I love the birds. Bird song specifically can be pleasing to the ear and may help reduce feelings of stress. According to Julian Treasure in this BBC News Article, "People find birdsong relaxing and reassuring because over thousands of years they have learnt when the birds sing they are safe, it's when birds stop singing that people need to worry. Birdsong is also nature's alarm clock, with the dawn chorus signalling the start of the day, so it stimulates us cognitively."
When to get the best bird songs? Birds sing their beautiful melodies mostly between the months of May and August, and it is most abundant in the early morning between 4am - 6am, though you can hear birds singing at almost any time of day during the spring and summer. This Dawn Chorus is full of mostly male birds singing for mates and singing to announce their territory to others.
My Suggestion: Take your cup of morning coffee out on the deck for 5 - 15 minutes and take note of how many different bird sounds you hear. It will surprise you once you start counting! When you're done, check in with your mood and see if it has noticeably lifted.
The forests of the Olympia Peninsula are gorgeous and serene - perfect for quiet forest bathing.
Forest bathing is not a literal bath, so don't worry - I'm not asking you to suds up in the woods! Rather, forest bathing is a term for immersing yourself in the forest (or really, any nature setting). Humans are drawn to the natural world and our bodies truly do react positively to these environments - this Kaiser Permanente article cites at least 2 studies that have revealed lowered stress markers in subjects after spending time in nature, including in urban park settings.
My Suggestion: Find a local park or natural space that you can spend 10-20 minutes in every day. When you're there, don't worry about 'doing' anything- simply immerse yourself in the sensations you experience. You know... much like you would when relaxing in a bath.
The Pacific Ocean is a meditative place to be!
Do you find the vast expanse of the ocean to be calming? Do you like the gentle flow of a river or the babble of a creek? You are not alone! "Blue Spaces"- or natural areas of water, are restorative to our mental and physical health.
According to this article from The Guardian, water has a psychologically restorative effect and spending time near aquatic environments induces positive mood even more so than green spaces. The article even cites studies that suggest a fountain or other man-created source of water could be stimulating. The ocean is especially helpful for inducing a mindful or meditative state. Actually...the entire article is jam packed with fascinating tidbits on the well being effects of water, please go read it!
My Suggestion: If you're in Grays Harbor, make a point to visit the ocean one weekend with the goal of just observing and enjoying the sound and visuals of the waves. If you're inland, find a local river, creek or lake to visit and see what types of feelings emerge when you're observing this type of environment.
The sunrise view from my house is worth getting up for year round.
Oh, that sweet, sweet sunlight. I love it so much, I put a sun in my logo! It turns out that sunlight isn't just valuable for producing Vitamin D and helping to regulate our melatonin levels, but it also boosts our mood! I know for me, my mood and motivation levels for the day are greatly improved on sunny days.
This Healthline article talks about how sunlight can increase serotonin levels, which is a hormone associated with boosting mood and helping a person feel calm and focused. There are also a lot of other medical benefits to sunlight exposure in that article as well. We won't cover them here but if you're interested, give it a read!
My Suggestion: Take a short walk outside in the sun for 15 - 20 minutes every day. Preferably before 10 am or after 4pm, and be sure to wear sunscreen if you're going to have exposed skin or be out for longer. Take notice of how your mood changes while you're out there, or after you head back inside.
The night sky is full of wonder. A full moon is beautiful, but it may obstruct stargazing abilities.
I'm going to be honest, taking a 'star bath' sounds like the most fun bath option out there (aside from bathing with some Bright Day Soaking Salts, of course 😉). Yep, stargazing is taking off as a mindfulness trend, offering a variety of benefits in addition to being a beautiful site to behold. When is the last time you found a dark spot on a clear night and gazed upwards? If it's been awhile, put it on your summer bucket list!
This Rituals article cites multiple studies about the effects of stargazing, including making you kinder, boosting creativity and relieving stress. Wow! I guess that mysterious vastness of twinkly stars really gives us perspective on our lives and encourages us to slow down and think differently.
My Suggestion: On the next clear night, turn off your outdoor lights and step out into your yard. Looking up and quietly observe. Don't look for anything in particular- just take in the expanse of stars and acknowledge your thoughts as they flow through. If it is hard to see the night sky from your house, schedule a night in your summer to travel out to a rural or scenic area and observe the stars.
If you're going on vacation, check out the International Dark-Sky Association's website to see if a designated Dark Sky location is near by. They catalog locations across the globe that have been designated as dark skies, ideal for observing the celestial world above us. Sadly, there are no designated locations in Washington, but there is one in Oregon.
There you have it! Five easy ways to boost your mood with nature this summer! Do you have a different way to brighten your mood with nature? or will you be trying one (or five) of these tips? Share with us in the comments!
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But let's be real- I can't make everything, nor would I want to. Sometimes even when I do have all the ingredients to make something I don't normally sell, I still decide that supporting another maker who has made that product one of their specialties is my best option...
]]>These are a few of my favorite things :)
There is no doubt that I love using my own products in my daily routine. After all, I make them and share them with the world because I believe you'll love them as much as I do!
But let's be real- I can't make everything, nor would I want to. Sometimes even when I do have all the ingredients to make something I don't normally sell, I still decide that supporting another maker who has made that product one of their specialties is my best option. There are so many other fabulous makers out there creating products that astound and impress me. Some have even become staples in my daily routine!
If you're looking to fill your daily body care routine with more products from artisan companies, here are a few of my current favorites that I highly recommend:
Everyone in the soapmaking community knows Katie and her company Royalty Soaps for her beautiful monthly soap collections and highly entertaining YouTube channel. Heck, at 898K YouTube subscribers, it isn't just the soap community that knows and loves her work, it's anyone online who wants to feel like they're creating colorful art while hanging out with a best friend.
But what I love, love, love the most is the Royalty Soaps Shampoo Bars and Conditioner Bars. They are amazing; better than any other solid shampoo or conditioner bar I've tried. They stay firm and in tact for the duration of use, they last a long time, they smell amazing and they work wonderfully in my crazy thick, heat-treated, dyed hair.
Both the shampoo and conditioner bars come in a variety of scents, each featuring slightly different ingredients based on your hair type. I found that all of them worked well for my hair, regardless of the targeted hair style. Shampoo bars tend to get used up faster than conditioner bars, but they both last a long time. I started new bars for both at the end of December and I'm still working on them at the end of April! (I wash my hair ~ 1x per week)
You can even watch Katie make some shampoo bars! Follow her on Instagram @royaltysoaps
I decided to give Little Seed Farm's famous Deodorant Cream a try over the holidays and I have fallen in love! It's a creamy paste that you spread on either by hand or with a bamboo spatula (I highly suggest the bamboo spatula.). I find that it keeps me smelling and feeling fresh all day long!
It is a bit of an adjustment to switch to a cream deodorant, but it's worth the switch to feel and smell fresh all day long! Just a head's up- if you order one with Activated Charcoal in it, the formula is much firmer. I have to microwave my jar for 15 seconds in order to soften it up before use. Your bathroom might be warm enough to avoid that, but mine definitely is not. The Coconut one without A.C. in it is a softer formula that I don't have to microwave. I love them both, though!
Little Seed Farm is also #businessgoals for me: they are a small but mighty operation out of Tennessee that focuses on sustainable business practices like using solar power and choosing sustainable packaging and shipping options. Way to set the example! I was so excited to see they have a jar reuse program in place - this is something I am working to do in my business as well.
Check out their website for all 8 Deodorant Cream scent options. You can also follow them on Instagram @littleseedfarm
I have been a fan of using oils to remove make up and clean my face for a long time. But Anna at Ocean House Apothecary takes the experience to a whole new level with her Facial Cleansing Balms.
The facial cleansing balm is a semi-soft cream that melts immediately on your skin. You give yourself a nice little face massage as you rub it in and then gently remove with a warm washcloth. Be prepared for delightfully soft, happy skin. And, friends, I am deeply, madly in love with her Mandarin & Coffee scent. There's also a Lemon Vanilla Ylang Ylang that is probably just as amazing, but that Mandarin & Coffee is simply a true delight I can't get enough of.
But don't stop there! I highly recommend you pair it with one of her Facial Balms. As this is my night time routine (and I'm a huge lavender fan), I use the Goodnight Facial Balm in Lavender Vanilla. Just a small amount gently smoothed over your skin will leave you feeling moisturized and nourished. I love how my skin feels when I wake up in the morning.
Ready to try this new facial care routine for yourself? Shop Anna's entire site here. You can also follow her on Instagram @ocean.house.skin
If you're in need of a good all-around lotion, look no further than Luna and the Leaf's Luna Body Butter! It will leave your skin feeling soft and hydrated all day long, plus it absorbs quickly and without a greasy residue. I also love how creamy & smooth it is! I currently have 3 jars of it at home, and she offers a variety of scents on her website.
How is this different than Bright Day's Whipped Body Butter? Christina's is a creamy, lotion-style formula made with water, whereas my Body Butter is all oils and butters. My personal body care routine definitely includes both, and I recommend the same to you! Sometimes you need a good hit of hydration to go along with your moisturization (like when you wash your hands 1000x a day).
While you are on her site, check out her soaps... she is the master of beautiful swirls! 😍 Follow her on Instagram @lunaandtheleaf
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In honor of Earth Day, let's talk honestly about the impact the skincare & beauty industry has on the planet. Because it's a big one. And while there are solutions out there, we have a long way to go before this industry truly minimizes its impact on Earth. Let's go through some key ways the industry impacts our beautiful planet and I'll also share the things I'm doing at Bright Day Bath & Body to help do my part as a part of the industry.
If you didn't know, the beauty/skincare industry generates 120 billion tons of plastic packaging annually. Plus, equally additional tons of cardboard, cellophane and paper waste due to the prevalence of packaging items within beautiful but often unnecessary display boxes.
Additionally, some estimate that between 20-40% of the actual products go unused completely and end up as waste according to this Vogue article from last year.
What I'm Doing:
What I Can Improve:
Palm Oil is so in demand that it is causing rapid deforestation of precious forest lands in over 20 countries.
Skincare & beauty products have long featured nature-based ingredients for their various benefits. But the rise in demand for products to be 'synthetic-free', 'all natural', 'unprocessed', etc, means that companies are putting even more pressure on the environment to supply us with the ingredients consumers desire. Here are some of the most popular nature-based ingredients that can be resource-heavy, or unrenewable:
Rose essential oil supposedly takes up to 10,000lbs of rose petals to make 1lb of rose essential oil
Even common oils like Coconut and Olive oil have their own sustainability issues, though at a smaller scale. Most horrifying to me as a major bird lover, Olives are often harvested at night by machine and millions (gasp! millions!) of songbirds get caught in the machines annually and die.😭😭😭
What I'm Doing:
What I Can Improve:
As you can see, the challenge of making beauty sustainable is not easy. As a consumer, we don't want to give up the beautiful products we've come to love as a part of our daily life, but we also don't like knowing that our choices may be severely impacting our planet.
As a business, it's a similar struggle: to make a product that meets today's market demands for an effective product that feels so 'natural' but that's also sustainable, and that's also affordable to produce.
My business is not perfect and it is not without it's impacts on the environment. But as a business owner, I pledge to do my best to weigh the environmental impact of every decision I make in the course of business so that I can always be improving the relationship Bright Day has with our beautiful Mother Earth.
If you'd like to read more on this subject, here are a few articles I used in my research:
Commercial Waste Blog Article on Waste in Beauty
Medium Article on Glass Packaging Vs Plastic Packaging
Byrdie Article: Natural Ingredients Aren't Always the Most Sustainable
Note: I recognize that there are a lot of companies out there working to solve the challenges I talked about in this article with product innovations, sustainable options and more. For the sake of keeping this article at a short length, I chose to only bring awareness to the challenges themselves.
If there's a specific area of sustainability you'd like to see a post about in the future, or if you have questions on sustainability in beauty/skincare, please leave a comment!
]]>And once you've used the last drop of your scrub or body butter, what do you do with the cute little jars?!
]]>And once you've used the last drop of your scrub or body butter, what do you do with the cute little jars?! I have a few ideas for you. The lables are incredibly easy to peel off for a clean surface after a little wash. So, get those jars cleaned up and let's get crafting!
Dried Herb and Spice Jars
I love the size of the Soaking Salts jars as a way to store my dried garden herbs! They are larger than the jars you'd typically buy from the grocery store, which gives plenty of room for your home grown and dried herbs. This is a great time to hop out into the garden and clip a few stems of Rosemary or Oregano to dry out inside. (And if you don't have these growing already, run to your nearest nursery and grab some! They are easy to grow and easily survive our wet weather and cold winters.)
I used POSCA markers to handwrite the herb on the glass jar. I love these markers because they are dense with color and easy to use compared to paint or sharpies. They aren't food-safe, so you'll want to make sure you aren't using them on the interior of your jars or on anything you would actually eat or drink out of. And, when you use these markers on glass, they can be washed off. So once you finish up your jar of herbs, you can always change up what you store inside by washing and relabeling!
Scented Candles made with Soy Wax
This project requires a few more supplies, but if you love to have some extra candles on hand, this project is for you! I used the Body Butter jar here to create a cute little candle that is easy to store by keeping the metal lid. I used soy wax beads, which melt quickly in a double burner on your stove. From there, secure a wick to the bottom of the jar with a little wax. Add some essential oil scents of your choice and fill your jar. Easy!
Easter Bunny Glitter Jar
This might be a little silly, but my kids love their glitter jars and they are easy to make! I started with the Body Scrub jar, though you could use a smaller jar as well. I simply added glitter and filtered water, filled about 85% of the jar and then closed the lid tight (consider adding glue if you're worried your kids might attempt opening it!). Flip the jar over and decorate!
I cut out bunny ears and glued them to the top with Tacky Craft Glue. Then I used POSCA markers for drawing on the face. Let dry completely then tuck into your Easter Baskets!
Don't toss your glass jars! We hope you'll find a crafty way to reuse your jars after you've used your Bright Day Bath and Body products! If you're not feeling crafty, you can even return your clean jars to be sanitized and reused by Bright Day! Send a message or email to learn more about how you can return your empty and cleaned jars.
Have another idea on how to use your jars? Let us know in the comments!
About the Author
Britta Jackson is a writer, photographer, and artist with a lifelong love for all things DIY. She lives in Aberdeen with her husband and kids and spends her springs and summers baking pies for her business Oh Hi Handpies and tending her garden.
]]>But... you know what's not so exciting? The amount of mental energy I've spent this month pondering my creep towards the big 4-0 and Middle Age. Alarmingly, I even found some articles claiming 35 and 37 as the start of middle age. What?! I'm sticking to 40, thank you very much...
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I'm only two years away from 40, and (I think) I'm ok with it!
But... you know what's not so exciting? The amount of mental energy I've spent this month pondering my creep towards the big 4-0 and Middle Age. Alarmingly, I even found some articles claiming 35 and 37 as the start of middle age. What?! I'm sticking to 40, thank you very much.
How can I be nearly middle-aged when I still barely feel like an adult sometimes? Adult imposter syndrome aside, the truth is that my body is definitely showing me that it is aging. From my skin to my weight to my overall body shape, I've noticed gradual changes that when I was young, I foolishly thought would surely never plague me. (Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks they'll be the exception to some inevitable rule of life. #naive)
But the thing is, aging isn't something we can stop - and why would we want to stop it? The alternative is less than appealing. I don't know about you, but I'd rather accumulate birthday candles and wrinkles instead of the other option.
The skincare and beauty industries are notorious for glorifying youthfulness and boldly assuming that we all have the same goal - appearing forever young. Which, if you think about it, would be pretty creepy, right? My first thought is the vampires of Twilight who never age. I'm not sure anyone really wants to be 65 and still look 25...it would be confusing and unnatural. Am I right?
Makeup & skincare lines for older skin often have age erasing promises in their names like, "Simply Ageless," and "Age Defying 3x," or names meant to evoke some rescue from a desperate situation like, "Confidence in a Cream" and "Renewed Hope in a Jar." Blech!
If you've ever found yourself fretting about a new wrinkle, or a less than dewy look to your skin with each passing year, please stop fretting. Yes, take care of your skin, but don't do it in an effort to erase all the evidence of your existence. This is the philosophy I've decided to adopt as I head ever closer to 4-0 and I'm feeling good about it.
I'm happy to be older and wiser. This picture is proof- see how wise I look!
In fact, while we wear our aging skin with pride, here are 3 ways in which I've realized getting older is actually totally awesome:
1) You Get Wiser. Hello, acquired wisdom! Moving through year after year of life slowly builds up enough first hand experiences that gives a better sense of the world. Some of those experiences may have been unpleasant, stressful, etc, but we get through them and now benefit from that knowledge and can share it with others.
2) You Get More Self Confident. Earlier this month, I shared a funny quote on my IG Stories that said, "I've reached the age where my brain goes from 'you probably shouldn't say that,' to 'what the hell, let's see what happens.'" It was meant for laughs, but there is some truth behind getting older and more comfortable in your own skin. You age out of that desire to conform to some style, physical appearance, societal expectation, and start to accept your actual preferences, goals, etc.
3) You Get Closer to Your Goals. Our goals in life change as we age. Different time periods in our lives give us different interests, aspirations, careers, and those can create a lot of different priorities for us. And as we age, the sheer amount of time we've had to accomplish our goals only increases, and the likelihood is that you start to accumulate a proud life of achievements to look back on. And some of us have lofty goals that take many years to achieve and those goals benefit from our older, wiser selves.
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If you'd like to further explore how the skincare industry propagates the expectation that women stay young and beautiful in order to be valued, I highly recommend a recent episode of the podcast Sounds Like a Cult. With special guest Jessica DeFino (a beauty reporter who examines and calls out the industry's insidious tactics), the hosts discuss the culty-ness of the beauty industry with a focus on the unrealistic expectation that we somehow appear immortally young.
Sounds Like a Cult Podcast- Season 2, Episode 8: The Cult of Skincare
I also recommend the book Clean by James Hamblin. It examines the industry from it's roots to it's most recent 'miracle ingredients' from a scientific and cultural perspective. The author also discusses what your skin really needs in order to be healthy and comfortable (hint: it's less than you think!).
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What's your favorite realization about getting older? Share in the comments below, or on our Instagram post today!
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Going Green might bring you a bit of luck AND could help save you coins, maybe not a pot of gold but close! Here are some easy ways to make a switch!
Cloth napkins Personally, this has been the most enjoyable switch! I have a family of four and we made the switch to using cloth napkins at our meals AND terry cloth towels for cleaning. They are easy to toss in the wash and my kids love to have the job of folding them and putting them away. While we still keep paper towels around for certain types of clean up jobs, switching to cloth napkins and towels has dramatically reduced our waste!
Refillable bottled cleansers Maybe it's strange, but having beautiful glass spray bottles brings me joy and it also helps me save on cleaning supplies! Companies like Grove sell concentrated cleaning options to refill your bottles or you can find recipes online with supplies you can pick up at a local grocery store! So many typical cleaning products are mainly water, therefore you're buying a larger plastic bottle that mostly contains water! Why not get the concentrate and add your own water at home in your won refillable bottle?
Makeup removing cloths Switching from cotton balls to a stack of reuseable cloth makeup removing pads is another easy (and luxurious) switch to your daily routine. Cotton balls are damaging to the environment in their production and their inability to bio-degrade. Get something more friendly to the earth and for cozy for your face! These ones sold on Etsy even have little pockets, making it easier to hold as you cleanse!
Bar Soap Bar soaps are a fun and easy way to create less waste! Since bar soaps require less energy to create than soap and far less packaging, they are a great option. Plus, you can shop our Bright Naturals selections and use a bar soap that has many natural and earth friendly ingredients!
The Super Natural Soap in the Bright Naturals Collection is palm free, colorant free and scent free for an eco-friendly bar with a creamy, moisturizing lather. $10
Compost If you're a gardener, you may already know the value of compost. One of my biggest surprises when I started gardening was just how much rich soil I needed to grow my veggies! You can turn your own food scraps, coffee grounds, some paper products and grass clippings into a nutrient rich compost to help your garden grow. There are many methods that are worth researching to find the one that works for you! From worm bins to hot composting tumblers to a large composter in your yard. There are even plenty of sleek and small options if you don't want to get your hands too dirty.
Find a favorite reusable coffee cup It's so easy to forget, so this is one that I'm working on - and it's so simple! Bring your own coffee tumbler to the coffee shop next time you're heading out for your latte. My favorite to-go mug is one I've been using for almost 10 years! A mason jar! I prefer glass over all other coffee options because glass is easy to clean and doesn't get stained or scented over time. Add a cuppow lid and you're good to go! Plus they are easy to have multiples of and a mason jar has multiple uses! Win win win.
Pack your bags! Or put milk crates in your car for grocery pickup Dare I say the greatest technological advancement of our time is curbside grocery pickup?! Ok, maybe there's more important tech out there but as a mom of toddlers (during a pandemic), grocery pickup is my favorite thing! And an easy way to pack in your groceries without using bags is to keep totes or milk crates in your car. They hold groceries well, are sturdy and make it easy for your customer service person to load it all up!
Eat/buy local! Find local businesses for as many items as you can or visit a farmers market Whether it's soap, baked bread or fresh lettuce - buy local as much as you can! This reduces dramatically the distance the items you consume had to travel to get from the source to your home - reducing carbon emissions AND helping your neighbors economically. How much could you commit to buying local? For myself, I take inventory of all of the things I buy regularly and then find ways to make a switch to a local purveyor whenever possible. Consider signing up for subscription options like a local farms' CSA or Hand Pie Deliveries (*wink* -that's me!).
Shop Local! Both Oh Hi Handpies and Bright Day Bath and Body are vendors at Grays Harbor area markets in the spring and summer.
Eco-period care: so many variety of options to choose from including diva cup to washable pads to period underwear There are so many options for any and every variety of feminine product, reducing waste! Plus this can save you a ton of money and possibly increase your comfort level as well! This goes for baby cloth diapers too. While they are a lot of work for clean up, they are so cute and can save you hundreds of dollars a month when children are small.
Products such as menstrual cups can help reduce waste from your monthly menstrual cycle.
Just buy less stuff! This seems simple yet is so hard for so many of us. Simply reducing what you buy will likely have the largest impact of all. Fix what you have, make do without some things that aren’t truly necessities, and buy second hand. You’ll help our environment AND probably save some money.
About the Author
Britta Jackson is a writer, photographer, and artist with a lifelong love for all things DIY. She lives in Aberdeen with her husband and kids and spends her springs and summers baking pies for her business Oh Hi Handpies and tending her garden.
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I like baking with my family often! Of course, I run a small at home bakery called Oh Hi Handpies, so my kids are always wanting to jump in. While they can’t help me with my business, I do try to make extra time for them to get their hands messy on our own baking adventures whenever we can.
Here are some of my favorite recipes to hopefully inspire you and your family to do some baking this month. After all, it’s National Bake for Family Fun Month! Check out this link too for some tips on baking with littles.
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/glazed-sour-cream-gem-cakes-joy-cho
If you haven’t heard, Mochi Doughnuts are all the rage in many cities and this recipe for Gem Cakes is a great take on the idea! They use Mochi flour, which is a rice flour you can find online or at many asian grocery stores (H Mart in Federal Way is my favorite!). They are super easy to make and have a much spongier texture than the usual flour based cake. Try your own flavors! But Matcha is my favorite for a nice rich and earthy flavor that pairs well with a hot cup of green tea!
*If you like this recipe, try our Zen Green Tea Collection!*
Photo credit: Brown Eyed Baker
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/orange-cookies-recipe/
When you need to add a bright sunny moment to a dull winter’s day, try making orange cookies! I love using lemon, orange or citrus flavors in baking to help brighten up flavors and give yourself a break for heavy and rich flavors.
*Orange you glad you’ve got our Citrus Bliss Soap to help you clean up after all that baking?!*
https://www.marthastewart.com/1156201/pizza-fresh-figs-ricotta-thyme-and-honey
We love a homemade pizza! While it can seem intimidating, the kids love to knead the dough and watch it rise. Plus, pizza is easy to make with kids and they love choosing their own toppings! We often make a big batch of dough so we can make dinner and dessert all at once! A few savory pizza pies plus a dessert option. Try this Martha Stewart recipe for a sweet idea using honey and fresh figs. Yum!
*Honey, you’ll love our Honey, Bee You! Collection!*
https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/homemade-pop-tarts/
You know I love a handpie! There are unlimited options once you can become confident with your pie crust. My recommendation, ensure your pie crust for hand pies is a little *more* well mixed than a typical pie crust so it has a slightly more glutinous texture and holds together well. Try this recipe to make a pop-tart version! Kids love it and it’s so easy to work with them on a baking project like this.
*Hand Pies and Pop Tarts are so fun and cute! Just like our Life is Rosy Soap!*
https://bakerbettie.com/lemon-goat-cheese-tea-cookies/
Yes, I’m back to a citrus cookie idea because they are amazing! You might not believe it, but adding an unusual and sour dairy like sour cream or goat cheese makes for the most complex flavor in baking! Try these Lemon and Goat Cheese Tea Cookies for your next family tea party with the kids.
*Bring some fresh, tart lemon to your daily routine with the Hello, Sunshine! Collection*
Photo credit: Shalaine_1 on allrecipes.com
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10926/cake-mix-cookies-iv/
This was my go-to baking recipe in college whenever I was baking for a large group. The easiest cookies you’ll ever make! And a really delicious flavor that kids will love. You can use any cake mix to make these, but a confetti cake is especially fun for kids to enjoy!
*Celebrate this easy peasy recipe with our Celebration Soap!*
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018684-classic-tiramisu
Tiramisu is my favorite dessert of all time because I’m a coffee lover but I also love a rich dessert that involves chocolate AND cream. I made this Classic Tiramisu recipe for my birthday using Tinderbox Coffee espresso! It might seem difficult, but have fun assembling it with your family! And maybe make a mini version for the kids sans alcohol. My kids loved it!
*If you love a coffee dessert, why not have your coffee in the shower too with our Espresso Yourself Soap?*
Photo Credit: Savory Simple Blog
https://www.savorysimple.net/london-fog-cupcakes-recipe/
My favorite cake of all time! This one is especially fun because my kids love tea and picking herbs from our garden. We make our own lavender syrup from lavender we pick and brew some earl grey tea (Stephen Smith Teamaker is my favorite).
*There’s nothing like a warm shower and the scent of Lavender! Try our Sweet Dreams Lavender Soap*
https://thefoodcharlatan.com/homemade-peach-cobbler-recipe-fresh-canned-or-frozen/
The ultimate summer dessert made with fresh peaches and so easy to make! Kids love stirring up whatever’s in the mixing bowl and this is easy for them to do.
*Enjoy the scent of Peachy Keen Soap to remind you of those warm summer days*
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/honeydew-cucumber-and-mint-soda
If you’d like to find another dessert that doesn’t require an oven, try out Chocolate Dipped Strawberries with a Cucumber Mint Soda! It’s a bright and fun option when you’d rather not break out all the mixing bowls and pans.
*Freshen up with our Cool as a Cucumber Soap!*
About the Author
Britta Jackson is a writer, photographer, and artist with a lifelong love for all things DIY. She lives in Aberdeen with her husband and kids and spends her springs and summers baking pies for her business Oh Hi Handpies and tending her garden.
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1) This Sprinkles-themed Shower Curtain by DreamDecorIdeas is the perfect pop of color in your bathroom!
Photo courtesy of DreamDecorIdeas, etsy.com
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2) Fill your house with the sweet, buttery scent of cake with this adorable 3-wick Birthday Sprinkle Candle by The Flame Candle. Photo courtesy of The Flame Candle, etsy.com
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3) Writing down all your to-do's is so much fun on these Sprinkling Sprinkles notepads from MAGNUMOPUSbyChelsea! Photo courtesy of MAGNUMOPUSbyChelsea on etsy.com
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4) Cuddle up under this Sweet Sprinkles Blanket from MiniTofuShop. It's also available in pink! Photo courtesy of MiniTofuShop on etsy.com
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5) Go bold with this gorgeous Navy Blue Sprinkles Lampshade by CandidOwl. It also comes in other sizes/shapes!
Photo courtesy of CandidOwl on etsy.com
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6) Turn a room into a total party with these festive Rainbow Sprinkles Wall Stickers by WallDressedUp. Photo courtesy of WallDressedUp on etsy.com
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7) Add a touch of pizzazz to any dresser or countertop with a customizable Sprinkle Resin Dish by BrandywineBanana. Photo courtesy of BrandywineBanana on etsy.com
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8) This Sprinkle Sweatshirt by LaurelTwistCo is the cutest way to bring the party with you everywhere you go. Photo courtesy of LaurelTwistCo on etsy.com
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9) If t-shirts are more your style, this Chance of Raining Sprinkles Tee by bubbledog is off the charts adorable! Photo courtesy of bubbledog on etsy.com
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10) Put some sprinkles into everything you bake when you use this Sprinkle Spatula 6pc Set by TeesasBakingSupplies. Photo courtesy of TeesasBakingSupplies on Etsy.com |
1) Schedule a time each week to do something for yourself, by yourself. Spend time with yourself doing something you love. It can be as simple as an afternoon walk or a trip to a coffee shop. Make it a date. Put it in your calendar and don’t miss it every week.
A weekly spa-at-home ritual is a great way to do something special for yourself, brightdaybathandbody.com
2) List 20 things you enjoy doing! When was the last time you did any of these? Pick 1 or 2 and put it on your calendar to do for yourself this month.
If you enjoy a hot bath, put it on your list! Try our Bright Day Soaking Salts for an extra special soak!
3) Find 2 or 3 small daily use items that bring you joy and use them as a way to celebrate yourself. Maybe a special coffee mug, a perfume scent or how about a Bright Day soap like Celebration!? This item should feel a little luxurious and also just for you!
Celebration! Soap helps celebrate YOU with every use, brightdaybathandbody.com
4) Finish a project left undone. That thing that might be nagging you in the back of your mind: maybe a hole in your favorite jeans needs mending or that DIY Project got stuck and forgotten. Schedule time to celebrate the things you love by caring for them so you can enjoy them again!
5) Alternatively, say goodbye to things that have been on hold. Maybe just letting go is a better way to celebrate you and where you’re going by letting go of old projects or items in need of fixing. It’s ok to move forward and abandon the things that no longer serve you rather than letting the “to do” weigh in your mind.
Finish a project, or let it go - making the decision either way can celebrate the you that's here and now
6)Take some time to dream and brainstorm on the things you’ve always wanted to do. Make a dream/mood/vision board clipping images from magazines or prints from things you find online. What do you want to learn? Where do you want to go?
Use old magazines to create your vision board for 2022 filled with images that resonate with your intentions for the year
7) Choose something from your board (above) and make a move toward it. Sign up for a class! Set vacation dates. Start a savings fund for something you really want.
8) Make a “not to do” list. I will not work on weekends. I will not check social media while in conversation. Make these rules you can commit to indefinitely since they are based on your values and priorities rather than societal expectations.
9) Treat yourself to something special! Indulge in your favorite dessert or buy the new shoes you’ve been wanting. Take a day off and explore a nearby town.
10) Make a list of ways you can celebrate your achievements or goals. Keep the list handy - or even keep a bottle of champagne or other treat of your choice on hand for these occasions - and go ahead a celebrate when the time comes! You deserve it!
Be sure to celebrate your accomplishments in 2022!
Britta Jackson is a writer, photographer, and artist with a lifelong love for all things DIY. She lives in Aberdeen with her husband and kids and spends her springs and summers baking pies for her business Oh Hi Handpies and tending her garden. |
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]]>2021 was an exciting year for Bright Day Bath & Body. I had such a great time meeting new customers, visiting with repeat customers and helping you all find your favorite products both at events and online!
Looking back through 2021, there were definitely some favorite scents and products that were universally loved by Bright Day customers. Ready to see what the favorites were in 2021?
PLUS- Read to the end to learn about an extra special deal I have for you all month long! 🥳
First, the Top 3 Scents you all loved the most:
Are any of these 3 your personal favorite scent?
It is no surprise that our next list is made up entirely of these three collections. Here are the 5 products you purchased most in 2021:
I'm dying to know- is your favorite product on this list?! Have you tried any or all of these? Comment below or join the conversation on Instagram @brightdaybathandbody.
Let's kick off 2022 with a fabulous deal! For the month of January, these top 3 collections (Peachy Keen, Sweet Dreams, Citrus Bliss) are 20% off!
Automatic discount in cart, No code needed, while supplies last. Offer valid thru 1/31/21.
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In early 2021, I joined a fantastic business program that helped me examine my business and craft a solid business plan to operate on moving forward. Enterprise for Equity (or E4E, as it is affectionately called) is an organization that serves entrepreneurs and small business owners in Puget Sound and Southwestern Washington communities. They focus on serving small/rural communities, limited-income entrepreneurs and veterans and they teach a very thoughtful, thorough approach to business. One aspect of E4E's business philosophy that I learned during my program is the Triple Bottom Line approach- that a responsible business cannot simply operate with Profit in mind, but also must do so with People and Planet in mind, too.
With E4E's help, I was able to craft a business plan for Bright Day that ensures this Triple Bottom Line philosophy is woven into the fabric of my business moving forward. I want Bright Day to make positive impacts on my community and the planet, especially as it grows in size and scope and business decisions become larger and more impactful.
Throughout 2021, I have made several business decisions with a Triple Bottom Line philosophy in mind:
I have more Triple Bottom Line goals for 2022 and beyond, including:
As a small business, it is easy to feel as though my small decisions don't really make an impact for better or worse. But looking back at the year in full, I can see that the decisions do add up. I'm proud of the actions Bright Day was able to take in 2021 and I'm excited to grow my Triple Bottom Line philosophy in 2022 and beyond.
Here's to a Bright New Year!
-Alexis
]]>Read today's post to see how this popular radio DJ embarked on a self care journey that showed her she was capable of so much more than she realized.
]]>Today's journey is an incredibly moving tale from a long time friend of mine, Ashley Main. Ashley is one of the most genuine and inspiring people I know and I am so honored to share her story with you!
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Ashley, we've been friends for so long and you've always been such a naturally inspiring person. But especially lately, you've been up to some amazing things that have been really special to see you experience! First, can you tell our readers a little about yourself?
HI! I’m Ashley. Radio DJ by day, wannabe fitness guru by night. I wouldn’t consider myself a ‘morning person,’ but I do get to wake up my community each and every weekday. I’ve been in radio for 16 years, getting my start in my hometown of Aberdeen, Washington. I moved to Central Point, Oregon in January of 2015 to pursue my dreams of being a Program Director and morning show co-host for a country radio station in Medford.
I gotta say - it's been so neat to watch (or hear!) your radio career really take off over the years. But you recently had a pretty major shift, is that right?
After just shy of 6 years, I found myself second guessing my career choice. Not because I wanted out of radio, but because of my situation – partially due to the pandemic, partially due to not being treated fairly (ladies stand up for yourself!!).
Long story short, I left that job and not even a week later, had a conversation with a locally owned cluster about launching a brand-new station playing ALL country music. Not just the current trends, but the legends and roots of the genre as well. As luck would have it, my co-host and I both made the move and are extremely stoked to be where we are doing what we’re doing. We both feel as though we were put on this earth do exactly this. It should also be noted that once I’m done with mornings, I slide into the Top 40/Hot AC station where I get to do a throwback hour playing all of the songs of my youth. It’s literally my favorite hour of the day.
"I wouldn’t consider myself a ‘morning person,’ but I do get to wake up my community each and every weekday." |
That is a testament to your talent that such an opportunity was created for you! Where can our readers listen to you online?
Both stations stream on their websites and both have apps available. www.krrm.com for country and www.kldr.com for the Top 40/Hot AC
What about outside of your time on the airwaves?
Outside of radio, I’m a dog mama to my rescue pup Max (Jack Russel) and Marty McFly (Corgi). Growing up, I always through I’d have ALL of the babies. Guess I just didn’t realize they’d be the furry kind. (to be honest, I’m TOTALLY okay with this) I *am* a step mom – but my hubby’s 2 kids are grown.
My husband and I met after I didn’t shave my legs for month while raising money for my favorite cause, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. We’ve been together for 5 years, married for 3 – even getting engaged just 6 months into our relationship.
Over the last several months, you've been on quite the self care journey. Tell us what inspired this journey.
My journey started after I underwent breast reduction surgery in the summer of 2019. Growing up, I let my physical appearance dictate what I did or did not do. Let’s be honest, having a large chest is extremely cumbersome and makes things more difficult. Running was completely out of the question, as were most contact sports. I was the furthest thing from an athlete and stuck to playing golf.
Once I had recovered from surgery, I joined a local gym and started going to Zumba classes (which are SUPER fun if you’ve never tried them). While in the gym, I found myself sticking to cardio machines because I literally had no idea what to do with all the fancy looking weights and equipment. I tried branching out a few times but got worried someone would see me and be like “that girl has no idea what she’s doing.” One day, I was out on a walk with a buddy and I got the thought of “hmmm, I wonder if I can actually run?” I didn’t even know the first thing about running as every time I’d done it before, it hurt.
I was about two months post-op and just started jogging down the street. I made it about a block before stopping so my friend could catch up and I was like “That didn’t even hurt!” From there, I made it a point to actually start running. I pushed myself to try and go a little further every time. Before I knew it, I was running miles at a time – doing it every day and falling in love with it.
There’s something so awesome about throwing in my airpods and hitting the pavement as the sun is coming up. Something I truly miss with this current injury. I am very hopeful that by late spring I’ll be hitting the pavement once again. *fingers crossed*
"I made it a point to actually start running. I pushed myself to try and go a little further every time. Before I knew it, I was running miles at a time – doing it every day and falling in love with it." |
That's really powerful that you were able to recognize other realities for yourself after years of feeling limited. I think a lot of us get limitations engrained in us for various reasons and we don't always realize there ARE other options - I really love that you had the realization that things could be different for you after your surgery and you pushed past that initial assumption that you could only use cardio machines or that you just weren't a runner.
Let's talk about that injury you mentioned though - because that has been a fairly recent development for you that has really impacted your self care story.
My story is one that is currently still on going. I’m a firm believer in trusting the process – even when I get a little frustrated. When reached out to about sharing my story for this blog I was super excited. I still am, to be honest. I enjoy talking about things that I love, who doesn’t? However, I recently ended up with yet another injury that put my mental health in a bit of a tailspin – aside from a physical limitation.
I was instantly put in a spot where I did not know what to do or how to do it. I’m currently receiving laser therapy twice a week. I ruptured my soleus and tore my gastrocnemius (calf muscle) and I'm progressing well.
I share all of this because it is real life. These things happen. While I had a little pity party, I found myself looking for new ways to move my body and get a workout in. It challenged my mind even harder and to know that this is just another one of life’s lessons. In the long run, I’ll be stronger having gone through this.
"I take an hour of every day for my mind and soul – which for me, is a workout of some kind. I enjoy hiking, biking, walking, lifting, really anything that involves me moving my body." |
Resiliency is key to making it through those difficult and frustrating challenges or set backs. They can really test us, but you're right - we often come out stronger on the other end. What else have you learned about yourself over the last year?
Through this journey, I’ve learned so much about myself and what it takes for me to prioritize my health in ALL ways. I take an hour of every day for my mind and soul – which for me, is a workout of some kind. I enjoy hiking, biking, walking, lifting, really anything that involves me moving my body.
I also had to learn to not feel guilty for taking this time. Because when you set aside time for something else, you’re removing it from where ever it was. Work, kids, adult responsibilities, all of that. Let me tell you, it is MORE than okay to start making YOU a priority. I tell myself this every single day and I no longer feel guilty for it.
I *know* I need this time to be a better me. To be able to be a better wife, coworker, friend, and human – putting my own needs at the top of the list allows me to do all of those things with less anxiety and worry. Amazing how that works.
Amen! You said it so well. It may seem counterintuitive, but we cannot be our best for others if we aren't taking care of ourselves. The guilt around taking that time can be very real - and it can come from within us, or from external forces. Self care benefits everyone around us and we need to learn to protect that time. Has anything surprised you?
What surprises me the most is that I am constantly blown away by my own strength and ability. Our bodies are truly amazing.
Last fall, I even hiked a mountain that I have literally seen every day since I moved to Oregon. Not a day has passed by since that I don’t think “did that REALLY happen?!” There is NO way that I could have done that feat years ago. My goals are to be better than I was yesterday. To push myself out of the comfort zone and be proud of my accomplishments and failures. Those failures will eventually become accomplishments.
I’m also shocked over my drive and determination to continue educating myself in the kitchen. Which, is something that goes hand in hand with living a healthier lifestyle. I meal prep breakfast, lunch, and snacks for the entire week on Sundays. While it takes time, it’s something I’ve also made a priority and it’s helped keep me on track during the week.
AND, I’ve learned I love to cook. I’m always up for finding new healthy alternatives. I also enjoy learning what fuels my body best.
"Not a day has passed by since that I don’t think “did that REALLY happen?!” |
Hiking a mountain is an awesome accomplishment! You're right - our bodies are amazing and we don't always give them credit for their capabilities, or give them the opportunity to shine by working them and fueling them properly. Any other goals on the horizon?
My goals moving forward are to become certified in personal training. The gym I have been going to over the last year, Ace Force One, is like personal training in a group setting. It’s given me strength mentally and physically. I’ve met what I call my ‘fit fam’ and we all encourage one another in our individual journeys.
The most fulfilling part of this experience is seeing other people reach their goals and be genuinely proud of themselves. On a selfish level, I also enjoy hearing from others that I’ve somehow helped them start their own process of living a healthier lifestyle. Its one of those gratifying feelings of knowing you’re doing good in this world.
"My goals moving forward are to become certified in personal training... The most fulfilling part of this experience is seeing other people reach their goals and be genuinely proud of themselves." |
As a personal trainer, your combination of motivation, inspiration and grit would help many people on their own personal journeys. I can't wait to see all the lives you'll change when you accomplish that goal! Let's close out with some advice. What would you tell other women who want to embark on their own self care journey?
If I could give advice to someone else regarding self care, it would be to not feel guilty for taking that time for YOU. It’s really the best gift you can give yourself.
Also, grace. We should ALL allow for more grace. I struggle with this, but I know it’s necessary for healing, growth, and understanding. My favorite motto is, “you do you, boo.” Sounds so simple. But when you break it down, YOU should be doing you, for you. And whatever it is that YOU want to do, should be done without worry of judgement from others.
It’s okay to make yourself a priority and find what brings you the most joy and internal peace. Celebrate you micro wins. Gains are gains, my friend. Be your biggest champion and competitor. You are strong. You are beautiful. You are capable. You are worthy.
Inspiring words to end on! Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us, Ashley, and we look forward to seeing your accomplish all your self care goals!
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Do you have a self care story to share? Click Here to download the specs, or email brightdaybathandbody@gmail.com for more information.
]]>I am so excited to debut the new Self Care Journey series, highlighting the self care journeys of women like you!
Self care is vital to the spirit and enables us to be our best self for those around us. In this new series, we celebrate the women who have claimed time in their routines for themselves, and I dig into their motivations, their routines and more so we can all be inspired to claim some time in our day for us.
Our first Journey is a dear friend of mine, Britta Brown, who you can probably relate to: in her 30's, busy wife/mom, career goals, putting other's needs before her own. Wanting to be a role model for her two girls, Britta embarked on a self care journey last fall and I asked her to share with us her routine, her inspiration and more. Here's what she had to say about her journey thus far:
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The most surprising thing I’ve discovered in this journey is a balance between giving myself grace and gently pushing when needed. |
Britta, tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
I am a wife, mother of a year 3 year old little girl and bonus mom to a 12 year old beautiful, young lady. For enjoyment I like to disc golf, read, hang out with my family, and occasionally spend time in the kitchen cooking new meals.
You lead a very active life. What inspired you to embark on your current self care journey?
My current self-care routine was inspired by, honestly, my age. I am in my mid-thirties and at the point in life that I really needed to start doing some self-reflection on how I am treating my body. I want to be a role model for my girls of self-love and to teach them that you only get one precious body so you must take care of it.
I want to be a role model for my girls of self-love and to teach them that you only get one precious body so you must take care of it. |
I love that you want to be a role model for your daughters. Sometimes we forget how much they observe and learn from us, even when it seems like they aren't paying attention. Share your self care journey and routine with us - what types of things are you doing to show your daughters that caring for yourself is important?
My current self-care journey started in September of 2020. This is when I started to pay attention to my skin. I started using a new product and that helped to change my skin care routine. It was something I knew was benefiting my skin so it became easier and more enjoyable to spend time in the evening washing and moisturizing my face. Every evening that I do this is just a small gesture that I love myself.
I also started a yoga journey on Jan. 1st. When my friend approached me to do a 30 day yoga challenge, to be honest, I didn’t think much about it. I said yes, started day one thinking this would be another thing I would fail at but then, I didn’t. I showed up every day for myself. I now wake up early enough to spend time practicing yoga and reading.
My next goal is to focus on food, to incorporate better eating as simply as the other two self-care routines have developed. I think the difference in my life right now, compared to other times when I’ve tried to focus on my health, is that now I am letting it happen organically. It is not a forced routine, it is not dreaded or doing something that I ‘think’ I should do. I am just simply doing what feels right; listening to and nurturing my body and soul.
It is not a forced routine, it is not dreaded or doing something that I ‘think’ I should do. I am just simply doing what feels right; listening to and nurturing my body and soul. |
There's some powerful stuff in there! You are caring for your physical self and your spirit. Building your routine slowly sounds like it's working to create a realistic routine for yourself.
I hear some self doubt in there with the yoga challenge, and I think a lot of women have that tendency to assume that they'll fail something almost before they even give themselves a chance. It's inspiring to hear your perseverance in showing up every day and defying that doubt.
What's been the most fulfilling part of the journey?
The most fulfilling part of the journey is the ease of it all. In the past, I jumped around a lot between this diet/workout plan to that diet/workout plan. Each time I felt so excited for the new adventure. But in comparison, this time, I just created the routine naturally. I focused on what felt right and what didn’t; I changed little aspects of my routine to freshen it up or make it flow even more smoothly. For example, I’ve always laid my yoga mat out the night before but recently I switched where I place it in order to get a different feeling and environment.
It sounds like you're really tapping into your intuition and checking in with yourself regularly. So often we look to outside forces to tell us how we should be feeling or what we should be doing. Your trust in your own intuition sounds like it's creating a sustainable and meaningful routine for you.
Has anything surprised you about your journey so far?
The most surprising thing I’ve discovered in this journey is a balance between giving myself grace and gently pushing when needed. This routine may be great for me but that doesn’t always mean I want to do it. However, if I don’t wash my face at night or if I don’t nourish my body the way I expect myself to, I just remind myself that I am human; that I also need spontaneity; not everything has to be structured. On the flip side of that, I also push myself by remembering why I do this routine, how I will feel if I don’t do it versus how I will feel if I just take a few minutes to take care of myself.
Self compassion is a phenomenal thing for you to have discovered. So many times we beat ourselves up for missing a part of our program or routine, and that can lead to giving up completely. Having compassion for yourself in those moments and realizing it's ok is something we can all work on. And I love that the flip side of that is that gentle push of reminding yourself why you're doing these activities and how important they are.
Do you have any advice for other women who are looking to focus on self care?
My advice to other women in regard to self-care is to not be afraid to change it up if something doesn’t quite fit or feel right. Adjust until you find that organic chemistry of loving yourself through simple self-care gestures. Self-care isn’t a one size fits all, it is specific to you and you must find it for yourself.
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Were you inspired by Britta's story? Comment below or comment on the Instagram post for this story!
I want to feature YOUR self care journey! If you'd like to tell your self care story, please email me at brightdaybathandbody@gmail.com.
Have a Bright Day, sunshines!
- Alexis
]]>Some of these vitamin supplements cost a moderately reasonable $30 a month and some cost an astronomical $200 just to tell you what vitamins they think you need, and then sell them to you in a monthly subscription.
So it inspired me... let's talk about vitamin supplements today, because I'm guessing you either currently take one (or more) or have taken them in the past, as part of your self care routine.
]]>Have you seen these ads on your IG or Facebook feed?
Some of these vitamin supplements cost a moderately reasonable $30 a month and some cost an astronomical $200 just to tell you what vitamins they think you need, and then sell them to you in a monthly subscription.
So it inspired me... let's talk about vitamin supplements today, because I'm guessing you either currently take one (or more) or have taken them in the past, as part of your self care routine.
Before we get started -Yes, I am a supplement skeptic. But despite this, I still bought vitamins in 2020 and almost bought some earlier this year because I am a human who falls for advertising and promises for energy, reduced anxiety and more unrealistic fixes. Read the end of this article for my honest journey to the brink of purchasing a $39/month vitamin subscription earlier this year.
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HERE ARE SIX THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT VITAMIN (AND HERBAL) SUPPLEMENTS:
First: Its important to understand this:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have the authority to review dietary supplement products for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed. This means that your supplements are not verified, tested, monitored or qualified for safe consumption by our government.
In theory, you could dehydrate broccoli, pulverize it into a powder, put it in a gel capsule and sell it as a daily energy-boosting supplement. No FDA-approval or permits required. Does it work? Who knows. People always say eat more green foods, so it could possibly give you more energy. |
If you think that example sounds a little dubious, its not far from the truth. Even when a manufacturer wants to use a new substance in a supplement, all they have to do is notify the FDA. Not ask the FDA for approval or prove safety, just notify them. A courtesy heads up.
So know that our government has little enforcement into the claims and contents of the supplements you choose. Read more here.
Second: Science says a healthy diet will most likely cover your needs
“Pills are not a shortcut to better health and the prevention of chronic diseases,” says Larry Appel, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research. “Other nutrition recommendations have much stronger evidence of benefits—eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing the amount of saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and sugar you eat.” |
Read the full John Hopkins article here.
"When you take a supplement, you're basically taking a purified form of an element, such as iron, vitamin D, or calcium. When you eat an apple or an onion, however, you're also ingesting thousands of phytochemicals (antioxidants are a form of phytochemical). Phytochemicals are bioactive non-nutrient plant compounds. It's estimated that more than 5,000 have been identified, but a large percentage still remain unknown to us (4). More and more evidence is surfacing in support of their effect on reducing cancer." |
Third: Science says supplements may cause harm or decrease lifespan
This is true in a few different ways.
"The FDA has found more than 500 supplements adulterated with pharmaceuticals or closely related compounds. The offenders include stimulants, bodybuilding steroids, antidepressants, weight-loss medications, and supplements aimed at treating erectile dysfunction. All can cause unwanted side effects and may be especially risky when taken with heart drugs or other prescription medications." |
Fourth: Science says talk to your doctor about your individual needs
There could be an individual vitamin or nutrient that you're in need of supplementing, depending on who you are and what your unique health circumstance is. But let your doctor help you figure that out. Don't give a vitamin company $200 and a sample of your blood.
Fifth: Remember who benefits ($$) from your desire to achieve maximum wellness
It is part of the human condition to seek out the fountain of youth and vitamin supplements are the modern version - promising anti-aging, metabolism boosting, energy heightening solutions in tiny (or big) pill form. They are today's proverbial apple - promising to keep the doctor away by super charging our immune systems, reducing anxiety, strengthening our hearts or reducing inflammation. All with the minimal effort of swallowing a pill each day.
The vitamin supplement industry is a $32 billion industry because they have tapped into this human drive for optimal being and wow, is it a money maker! They have the means and the incentive to lobby our government for a 'wild wild west' lack of accountability in their regulations so that you hear the messages they want you to hear. Which leads us to...
Sixth: You will see far more vitamin ads than ads for scientific research. Remember who has the marketing $$ and do your research.
Don't be lulled into a false sense of security just because you see more happy, success story ads from vitamin companies than you do for scientific studies about their real efficacy.
That multi-billion dollar industry has far more marketing dollars and ad agencies working for them than the University of Wherever's science department. Real, quality research often requires you to seek it out, it probably won't come looking for you.
Do you due diligence before deciding to put anything in your body to ensure that real, quality research has been done on it. Not anecdotal evidence, or 'ancient remedies' or company scientists paid to agree with the company's claims. Look for 3rd party, unbiased research.
Despite Knowing All This...
Now that I've told you these six important things to know, let me tell you how I, despite knowing these things for some time, still almost fell for a spendy designer vitamin earlier this year.
Three or four years ago, I read the book Vitamania, which covers the entire history of vitamins from discovery in our food, their necessity in our diets and the entire industry that arose out of our desire to get more of them. (it's an interesting book, read it!) Note: There is also a movie by this same name about the vitamin supplement industry, but I have not watched it (yet) and I don't think it is related to the book I read.
So, I've been a skeptic about the efficacy and safety of vitamin supplements since then. But I am also human and advertising works on me. Its embarrassing to admit, but despite my beliefs that are rooted in real scientific studies, I repeatedly find myself tempted by the claims that live within the vitamin aisle at my local rite aid, or within my IG feed's sexy ads. That's the power of appealing to the universal desire for the 'fountain of youth' as I mentioned in our fifth point above:
It's tempting to think that it may really be out there.
I tried 3 different vitamin supplements in 2020 with the hopeful thought that maybe they will do something for me this time (I ended up throwing them in the trash). And when I saw the ads on IG for Daily Gem just a couple of weeks ago, I was intrigued enough to almost purchase them.
And it was actually my desire to want validation for purchasing Daily Gem that made me re-research this industry. Daily Gem is a 'multivitamin' that's not a vitamin - it's a cube of real "super" foods and algae powders that you eat every day. It sounded like something that could work because it is real foods (in reality, it now seems like a bite sized protein bar with a healthy profit margin).
I wanted to buy this vitamin so bad that I did multiple research sessions trying to find a review or a study that would convince me to take the $39/month plunge.
All I found were a handful of bloggers who tried & reviewed the product with ambiguous results. No scientific studies comparing it's efficacy against other supplements, or comparing it's efficacy against a placebo. Just sponsored reviews and their website's "Research Library" that defines each ingredient for you, but doesn't discuss the product as a whole or its efficacy.
Clearly, I wasn't finding what I needed and I decided it wasn't for me. But look at that effort I went into trying to convince myself that it was a worthy purchase.
In Conclusion...
If you currently take a vitamin supplement, or still find yourself enamored at the idea that these supplements can really enrich your wellbeing, please know that I get you.
All I'm asking is that you take care in researching the supplements you want to take, look for unbiased efficacy and safety studies and ideally, talk to your doctor. That's self care.
- Alexis
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Whipped Body Scrubs, $20 on brightdaybathandbody.com |
Mix together, apply to lips liberally & scrub gently. Leave it on for a few minutes as a lip mask, then rinse (or lick 😉) it off. Follow it up with your favorite Bright Day lip balm. Bonus tip: do it at night and your lips with be extra soft and smooth in the morning!
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Lip Balms, $5 on brightdaybathandbody.com |
Whipped Body Butters, $15 on brightdaybathandbody.com |
Body Oils, $21, brightdaybathandbody.com |
Use a face cream & lip balm with SPF 15 or greater if you're going outdoors for an extended period of time. |
Welcome to the first Monday of 2021! As we all get back to our regularly scheduled life post-holidays, many of us are full of hope that our resolutions and goals will create a more positive life in this new year. This is a great time to also talk about adding an affirmation to your daily routine.
If you already have an affirmation (or two, or three, who's counting?), this is a good time to re-evaluate if your affirmation is still serving you, or if you are ready to embark on a new affirmation journey.
If you don't currently have an affirmation, it's an easy process to creating one, and there are plenty of online lists of example affirmations if you need inspiration. Today, let's talk about what an affirmation is and how you can create one for yourself.
What is an affirmation? An affirmation is a statement you say out loud or in your mind to yourself as a way to develop and reinforce positive attitudes, beliefs and outlooks about yourself and/or the world around you. The power of affirmations is that they can help you rewrite the story you tell yourself and can help you start your day off with major good vibes. You can also state your affirmation at night, to end your day on a positive note.
How do you create an affirmation? It's a simple process. Turn inward for a moment. Think about the areas in which you are holding onto beliefs that don't serve you, or areas of self improvement that you're focusing on. Is there some attitude or belief you want to change but can't seem to shake? Now, create a counter statement to your negative belief. This is a statement that reframes your existing belief into something positive.
For example, if you're struggling with confidence, your affirmation could be to look yourself in the eyes in the mirror and state "I am a confident and capable woman(or man)."
Or if you want to reframe the way you feel about your physical appearance, you could say to yourself, "My body allows me to live my daily life and I am grateful for all of its capabilities."
What do I do with my affirmation? Take a moment each day to repeat your affirmation to yourself. To be extra effective, say it out loud to yourself in the mirror as though you are talking to a friend. Starting your day with an affirmation means you're setting the precedence for your day to take on a positive and self-loving tone. End your day on this same note and you'll be drifting into dreamland with positivity on your mind.
How do I know if my affirmation is working? Saying an affirmation once isn't necessarily going to create a lasting shift in your belief pattern. The key is to make this a daily affirmation and try it out for a few weeks before deciding you need to make a change. Even if it doesn't feel genuine in the beginning, continue your practice. Your brain is listening - scientific studies show that the brain's neural pathways that are involved in positive valuation and self-related information processing become more active when you repeat your affirmation.
Once you are ready to try a new affirmation, repeat the process of turning inward, identifying a negative belief and crafting a simple counter-statement to come up with your next affirmation.
🌞Even the products at Bright Day Bath & Body have positive affirmations! Our 10 Collections are all designed around statements of positivity for you, such as "Honey Bee You! Because You Are Amazing" and "You got this! Today is going to be Smooth Sailing!" Our goal is to bring positivity to your daily body care routine, so every time you see your favorite product, you can think of the positive vibes its giving to your day! 🌞
👇Do you have a positive affirmation? If you're willing to share, do so in the comments below! 👇
Whether you're shopping for your wife, teenager, mail carrier, teacher or yourself, we've put together several gift options to satisfy each and every one!
]]>In 2020, there is a gift that everyone in the country (err, world?!) could use this holiday season: the gift of self-care. We've all been through so much this year and I can't think of a person who wouldn't benefit from a gift that encourages them to take a few minutes for themselves.
Whether you're shopping for your wife, teenager, mail carrier, teacher or yourself, we've put together several gift options to satisfy each and every one! Not gifting for Christmas? We have you covered! These gift sets make wonderful winter time thank you gifts, thinking of you gifts, get well soon gifts and more!
Read on to see our suggestions for everyone on your list:
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Who: Mail Carrier, Teacher, Nurse, Gift Exchange, Secret Santa, Garbage/Recycle Driver, Thank You Gift
What: Let it Snow 3pc Soap Gift Set $25
Scented in peppermint, hot cocoa & fresh evergreen, this gift box of soap is a festive wintery necessity and is so easy to give!
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Who: Teenager, Wife, Family Gift Exchange, Thinking-of-You, Yourself
What: Snowflake 4pc Spa Gift Set $40
Featuring classic peppermint in a snowflake soap, whipped body scrub, bubble bath and lip balm, this set also has a bonus snowflake ornament!
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Who: Grandma, Aunt, Family Gift from Santa, Long Distance Relatives, Friends in Warm Climates
What: Snowman 4pc Spa Gift Set $40
Scented like hot cocoa, this snow day favorite will go over well with families and friends - especially in areas where building a snowman isn't possible! Includes a soap, whipped body scrub, bubble bath and a peppermint lip balm. Plus a bonus snowflake ornament!
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Who: Husband, Father, Boyfriend, Visiting Relatives, Boss
What: Snowy Spruce 4pc Spa Gift Set $40
Scented like a fresh evergreen tree, this set is refreshing and wintery in a way that everyone will love! Featuring a soap, whipped body scrub, bubble bath and a peppermint lip balm (plus a bonus snowflake ornament!)
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Who: Yourself, Your Party Friend, Best Friend, Wife, Girlfriend
What: Champagne Toast 3pc Spa Gift Set $25
This New Year's Eve will most likely mean celebrating safely at home. This set, scented like brut champagne, will create a luxurious spa evening at home to ring in the new year in a special way!
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Who: Family Stockings, Neighbors, Coworkers, Friends, Thank You Gift, Get Well Soon, Winter Blues Gift
What: Holiday Themed Stocking Stuffers $3 - $10
Our holiday themed stocking stuffers are small items great for gifting, small gestures, office gifts and more. Peppermint Lip Balm, Bath Snow Soaking Salts & Facial Cleansing Bar 3pc Set. Or, visit the full collection to see Every Day items that are great small-gifts as well.
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Who: Gift for Her, Yourself, Grandma, Friends, Thank You Gift, Get Well Soon, Winter Blues Gift
What: Sweet Dreams Bedtime Gift Set $25
Get ready for bed is relaxing when you use this trio of products! Includes lavender bath soaking salts, lavender body butter and lip balm.
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Who: Gift for Teenager, Yourself, Friends, Thank You Gift, Get Well Soon, Winter Blues Gift
What: Peachy Keen 3pc Gift Set $27
This fun, fruity fragrance is sweet and upbeat! Perfect to brighten up the cold days of winter. Set features soap, whipped body scrub & lip balm in a peach & apricot scent.
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Who: Gift for Him, Father, Boyfriend, Teenager, Gift Exchange, Secret Santa, Sleepy Head
What: Citrus Bliss 3pc Gift Set $27
Help someone wake up with energy in the mornings with this 3pc set! The power, invigorating scent of fresh orange peel is sunshine even on a rainy day. Includes soap, body scrub and lip balm.
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Did you see us in the Oh Hi at Home blog recently? If not, be sure to take a look for a list of Grays Harbor area small businesses you can support!
Looking for some other gift ideas outside of bath & body? Check out the Small Business Shopping Directory this holiday season!
]]>The Thursday Three: 3 Tricks to a Brighter Morning 🌄
September always means busy fall schedules. ⏳ Gone are the lazy mornings of summer (you mean there are hours BEFORE 10am?!) and back to early morning routines. If your family is like mine, there are *some* members who just aren't morning people (ahem, my daughter). 🥱 Maybe its you! If it is, here are 3 easy tricks to making your morning brighter, even if you hate mornings:
1️⃣ Treat yourself to a special bath & body product that helps you look forward to your morning shower. For real! Splurge on a favorite item, or treat yourself to an adventurous new item. Either way, the novelty can motivate you to get moving with positive energy. (And, you know, my website has lots of great options 😉)
2️⃣ Greet the world. 🌄 When you wake up, make a 5-10 minute trip outside one of your first to-dos of the day. Have your coffee on the patio, or go outside right after you wake up to get fresh air, say hello to the land of the living and move on with some pep in your step. Plus, 15 minutes of daylight in the early morning can help keep your circadian clock calibrated correctly, helping you get more sleep! 😴
3️⃣ Make your bed! 🛏 It sounds small, but having a sense of accomplishment first thing in the morning can give you a boost of motivation to keep the accomplishments coming all day. Plus, it will help you avoid crawling back into bed after you start the coffee. (What, who does that?🤫😉)
So there you have it! Start your fall routine off right with these three tricks to brightening up those early mornings!
Usher in the splendor of fall with a custom designed body scrub in
festive fall options:
Fall Fragrances
🍁Espresso
🍂Autumn Fig (last year's #1 fall fragrance!)
🍁Caramel Woods (used in our Autumn Leaves soap)
🍂Apple Caramel Crunch
🍁Maple Pecan
🍂Lemon Bar
🍁Cinnamon Cocoa
🍂Gingerbread Cookie
🍁Oatmeal Stout
🍂Country Bumpkin (apples, candied yams, marshmallows, sweet cream butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, crushed cinnamon bark and fresh cloves)
🍁Pumpkin Apple Streusel
🍂Perfect Pumpkin (Sweet autumn pumpkin, cinnamon, clove & maple sugar)
🍁Wild Rose
🍂Orange Cranberry
Fall Exfoliants
🍁Pumpkin Powder
🍂Black Jojoba Beads
🍁Orange Jojoba Beads
🍂Black & Orange Mixed Jojoba Beads
🍁Coffee Grounds
🍂Cranberry Seeds
🍁Poppy Seeds
🍂Walnut Shells
🍁Icelandic Black Sand
🍂Black Sea Salt
Fall Extracts
🍁Pumpkin Extract
🍂Rose Extract
🍁Mallow Extract
🍂Oat Extract
Fall Colors
🍁Green
🍂Orange
🍁Black (grey in whipped scrub)
Ready to design your own fall or Halloween inspired scrub? Visit The Scrub Bar to get started!
Have a Bright Day!
-Alexis
]]>This week, 3 books that can brighten your outlook on life! Go get that sunny disposition, you deserve it! 🌞
1️⃣ 📕Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee. Wow, this book is amazing! Learn how to get joy out of your every day life and learn why we find joy in the things we do! I listened to this audio book last fall and was blown away. She also has a blog called The Asthetics of Joy.
2️⃣ 📘The Book of Joy by the 14th Dalai Lama and Desmund Tutu. This book is so moving! Read stories from these two spiritual leaders and their friendship. It will absolutely make you ponder and appreciate everything more.
3️⃣📗 Make the Most of You: 170 Ways to Be the Best You Can by Patrick Lindsay. Ok, friends, this one sits on my bedside table. Every morning before work, I would open it up to a random page and try to keep the lessons-of-the-day in mind. Each page is a quick action you can take to improve your life, a synopsis & a quote. I love it for the quick, digestible tidbits that keep me mindful of my actions and the world around me.
Have you read these books?📖 Visit us on Instagram and post a comment on this post!
🌞 Have a Bright Day! 🌞
Mask & Gloves - We are wearing a facial mask & gloves to keep transactions with customers sanitary. We encourage you wear a mask as well. If money or a credit card is handled by us, gloves will be changed between transactions
Sanitation - Every 30 minutes, we will wipe all surfaces down with a Clorox wipe and/or alcohol spray. We also have hand sanitizer available for customer use.
Display-Only Shopping - View our displays and place your order with one of us. We will package your items for you. Unfortunately, there is no sampling of lotions, body butters or smelling of soaps during this time.
Social Distancing - Please remain 6ft from other customers. Our booth has 3 sides and we limit 1 customer/family per side maximum.
Limit Coins - Our cash transactions will be rounded up or down to the nearest dollar to reduce touching coins. Any transactions rounded up will have the extra change donated to the Aberdeen Sunday Market.
Cards Preferred - To limit touching cash, we encourage the use of credit or debit cards. Please note, we will not be gathering signatures on transactions during this time, to eliminate touching our Point of Sale devices.
Shop from Home - Our shop is available online at brightdaybathandbody.com for you to shop from the safety of your own home. Sign up for emails to receive exclusive deals.
This notice will be updated if any procedures change or are added throughout the Market season.
Thank you & we look forward to seeing you in person!
Have a Bright Day!
-Alexis
]]>That nostalgic feeling is what inspired the Summer Sweets Collection....
]]>Ah, summertime. Sweet, sweet summertime.
Summer is a magical season. When I look back on my summers- especially my childhood summers- I am filled with an instant sense of wonder, freedom and happiness. The sunshine, the heat, the schedule-free days, the pool parties, the bright, colorful motif of the season's flowers and trees. All of it combines to make summer the one season I can instantly 'transport' to with a simple whiff of a scent, the opening notes of an old summer jam, the morning birds through the window and any number of other sensory triggers.
That nostalgic feeling is what inspired the Summer Sweets Collection. Each of the four scents that make up the collection was chosen because of its iconic role in the summer experience. Each scent features a Soap, a Whipped Sugar Scrub, a Body Lotion (featuring my new formula!) and a Lip Balm. The perfect collection of products to keep your skin in top shape for summer!
My goal for you is to use these products and be transported to your own favorite summer memories. For me, they each correlate to a very specific summer experience...
Cotton Candy instantly takes me back to the county fair that I looked forward to every summer as a kid (and truthfully, I still look forward to it as an adult and a parent). The tantalizing smell of fair food, the colorful carnival games, the music blasting from all the twirling and whirling rides. At night, the lights sparkle and everything turns into a dreamland and it creates the perfect summer memory. And what fair trip is complete without the penultimate fair treat, Cotton Candy? This fluffy, sticky, sweet cloud-on-a-stick in colorful pink and blue is an icon of summer at the county fair. The fragrance I sourced for this line of products is spot on, no joke. I dare you to close your eyes while using any one of these products and you will insist that an open bag of cotton candy has just been handed to you.
Pink Lemonade is the drink of summer. Much of my summers as a child were spent running around my neighborhood with my friends, freely hopping backyard to backyard enjoying various summer activities. We'd stop for a snack break, or pop inside for lunch, and there was nothing more satisfying than that sweet, tart lemonade. As an adult, I discovered the joys of making fresh lemonade during the summer and the creativity of adding berries, mint and other enhancing flavors. You can fill your summer with vacations, day trips and excursions, but nothing beats a relaxing backyard summer day with the tart, refreshing taste of lemonade. This line of products will treat you to that same refreshing experience each time you use them.
Pineapple Punch is a summer vacation in the tropics. Admittedly, I have never gone on any tropical summer vacations but my husband and I did honeymoon in Jamaica in April '06 and we took a family vacation in Hawaii last December so one sniff of this fragrance and I was back under the palm trees on sunny, sandy beaches. Summer and the tropical motif go hand-in-hand and I think we've all been to more than one summer luau in someone's backyard. If you have no tropical vacation plans this summer, let Pineapple Punch whisk you away to the tropics in your own shower. This is a fruity, playful scent of pineapple mixed with coconut milk and juicy fruits.
I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Cream! Ice Cream parlors, ice cream shoppes, ice cream stores - whatever you call them, a store that sells ice cream is a must-go-to location in the summer time. When I was young, there were two ice cream shoppes that called me to them like a beacon every time I was near them. In my home town, we had the classic Baskin Robbins, where everyone went after special events for a celebratory cone. My all time favorite ice cream is still Baskin Robbins Peppermint Ice Cream, one I (sadly) don't get to enjoy much anymore as our Baskin Robbins closed several years ago. The other was Whale of a Cone in Westport - a local beach town with the most adorable boardwalk that combines kitchy boardwalk stores with a real fishing-town marina to create a unique and rich coastal experience. Both of these stores had a smell wafting from them that pulled me in like a tractor beam - a uniquely sweet amalgamation of too many ice cream flavors, toppings, waffle cones, refrigerant and more. The Ice Cream line features a similar bouquet of sweet flavors - raspberry sorbet, vanilla ice cream, peach puree and whipped cream - that creates a scent that takes me instantly to the doorway of these favorite shoppes. Use this line and you'll ask yourself 'am I in my shower, or my favorite ice cream shoppe?'
Each scent features in the Summer Sweets Collection is available in a handcrafted soap featuring skin-loving ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, glycerin and more; a whipped sugar scrub that will cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize your skin; a body lotion featuring my new formula using coconut oil, avocado oil and aloe extract; and lastly, a lip balm featuring various oils and butters to keep those lips nourished!
Shop the full Summer Sweets Collection and take yourself to your favorite summer memories! This collection debuts on Thursday, June 11, 2020 at 6pm PST!
Have a Bright Day!
-Alexis
]]>There are so many different ways & reasons to give...
]]>Wow, I couldn't be more proud! Thank you to all the customers who ordered during the month of April. Your orders allowed Bright Day Bath & Body to donate $152 to Direct Relief in support of our front line doctors and nurses in their fight against COVID-19. Bright Day donated $1 for every item that was ordered in the month of April.
There are so many different ways & reasons to give during the global pandemic and it was hard to choose where to make the best impact. But after hearing heartbreaking & frustrating story after story on the news about the lack of PPE and medical supplies our front line medical community has access to, it was clear that we have to properly equip our 'soldiers' in this war and it was a vital effort to contribute to. If you aren't familiar with Direct Relief, please visit their website to learn about all of the humanitarian and disaster relief work they do around the globe.
Specifically, you can visit their coronavirus relief page to learn all about the efforts they're taking to support our medical professionals using donations like ours.
Over a series of 5 weekly donations made every Friday in April, we raised the $152. For every item ordered, $1 was donated. Here is a break down of those donations:
April 3- $20.47
April 10 - $26.61
April 17 - $42.99
April 25 - $32.75
May 1- $29.68
This was a lot of fun, and I'm so grateful to all of my customers that ordered in April to make this a successful donation drive. What do you think - should it be an annual April promotion?
Take Care & Have a Bright Day!
- Alexis
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One of my favorite teas ever is the Tazo Tea called Zen. It is an amazing tea because I love it almost any time...whether I need a cup of tea to ease anxiety or I am in need of a revitalizing pick me up. If you've never had it, you are missing out! On your next supply run (aka grocery shopping) pick up a box and try it out...I promise you'll love it! Its a green tea mixed with spearmint, lemongrass and lemon verbena and its simultaneously refreshing, relaxing and revitalizing.
The inspiration behind the soap.
One of the best teas!
My absolute favorite part is the scent. When you first open up the teabag it hits you with it's cool, earthy scent and when it is steeping in the hot water, the steam smells divinely refreshing. It truly lives up to its Zen moniker.
It wasn't long before I wanted to recreate the scent in a soap so I could have that same moment of Zen in my daily routine. In a luxurious Shea Butter soap along with added Matcha Powder and Green Tea Extract, I have successfully replicated the scent of Zen tea in the new Green Tea Signature Soap.
A smooth, refreshing bar of soap
to bring harmony to your shower.
I'm so proud of this soap and delighted by how it turned out. It truly fills the shower with a refreshing and revitalizing scent that starts the day off on a harmonious note, and it has so many of the benefits of green tea with the added matcha and extracts.
I invite you to pick up some Zen tea and a bar of Green Tea Signature Soap and see how you think the two compare. It will bring a bit of Zen into your daily routine in more ways than one!
Breathe Deep & Tackle the Day,
-Alexis
PS: For the entire month of April 2020, Bright Day will donate $1 for every product sold to directrelief.org to help get PPE and medical supplies to our medical professionals who are working the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every Friday from April 3- May 1, the donations will be made, so if you're thinking about making a purchase, do it this month for maximum impact!
]]>Ha! Can anyone else relate? These times are truly strange, a little bit scary and a bit cabin fever inducing. Like most of you, I have been at home since March 14, only leaving my house two times for groceries. Any plans I had have been cancelled and daily routines have been adjusted accordingly. Work days and weekends blend together and a new 'norm' has set in for my family for the foreseeable future.
One of the things I was looking forward to most was my birthday weekend at the end of March, where my family had reserved a beach house for the weekend out at the beautiful Seabrook, WA. This trip was obviously cancelled and I was a bit crestfallen at the transition to a quiet, quarantine birthday. But don't worry- it ended up being a wonderful, relaxing day where my daughter baked me a cake and made my birthday dinner!
However, I still long for a weekend at the beach and I'm guessing some of you probably do as well. All of this is leading up to say that while we may not be able to go to the beach right now, we can bring the beach inside to us!
The Seaside Spa Collection debuts today and is a collection of four wonderful soaps, a body scrub and a lotion that embody the wonders of the sea. I started work on this collection long before my birthday plans were made & cancelled, but boy am I grateful I did! The collection features high quality ingredients and sea-inspired ones like seaweed extract, sea clay and real kelp. The fragrances are all ocean inspired, relaxing and refreshing in their own ways. You can truly feel pampered and transported to the sea when you use this collection.
Check out the full Seaside Spa Collection and create a sea-inspired spa day in your own shower!
Take Care & Stay Safe at Home!
-Alexis
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But as you stand at your sink umpteen times a day during our current situation, singing the Happy Birthday song to yourself over and over, have you ever stopped to wonder how exactly soap works? Why soap? Why not just water?
]]>One of the messages we are hearing every day right now as we all navigate the COVID-19 ordeal is the simple reminder to Wash Your Hands. As children, we are all taught the importance of washing our hands until it becomes (or should become) a second nature activity - like buckling up your seatbelt when you get in a car, or putting on a helmet when you ride a bike (you do do all those things, right? RIGHT?).
But as you stand at your sink umpteen times a day during our current situation, singing the Happy Birthday song to yourself over and over, have you ever stopped to wonder how exactly soap works? Why soap? Why not just water?
Well, here's the secret about soap: it doesn't actually dissolve or kill the germs, bacteria and other multitude of yuckies on your hands. On the contrary, I like to think of soap as a really friendly molecule. Soap molecules are like that friend of yours in your high school who was friends with everyone - from cheerleaders to goths to nerds. Soap molecules have two ends: one that's shaped like a ball that really likes water (hydrophilic), and one end that's shaped like a long tail and really likes oils (lipophilic).
This duality is why it's so important that we rub our hands together when we use soap in order to make it an effective surfactant. The friction of rubbing the soap over the surfaces we want clean allows the end that likes oils to start collecting the grime and gunk off our skin and when we go to rinse, the water-loving end of the soap hitches a ride on the water and pulls all that gunk right off your hands and down the drain. Bam! Clean hands!
So why the 'happy birthday song two times' mantra? Knowing how soap works now, you can see why a quick pass with the soap isn't necessarily enough to thoroughly clean off all the yuckies. Experts recommend you actively wash your hands for at least 20 seconds because the soap has a much higher chance of grabbing onto & sending the germs, bacteria and grime to their watery grave when you actively rub your soapy hands together for an extended period of time.
One side effect of washing your hands so frequently can be dry skin. (Mine can get so dry, my knuckles crack & bleed...ick!) To combat this, look for soaps that contain skin-loving ingredients like glycerin and high quality butters and oils. Also, be sure to use a moisturizing lotion immediately afterwards in order to restore moisture & keep your hands soft.
Was that the coolest thing you learned today? I sure hope so!
Thanks for reading & take care of yourself and your family during this difficult and stressful time!
-Alexis
Did you know that the earliest evidence of civilizations using soap was all the way back in 2800 BC? Whaaaa? Those people were amazing! If you want to learn more, visit the wikipedia page for soap here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap
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