Hi! I’m Karen Howell, a wife and a mom of two young kids. This blog is my adventure into the world of clean living and beauty, and a place for me to share what I’m learning along the way. I’m just another mom trying to do the best I can, hopefully with a little fun and laughter.
My story
My first experience with “natural” personal care products was when I was pregnant with my first child and didn’t want to harm the little human growing inside of me. (Isn’t that how it starts for most of us?) One day while shopping for groceries at Wegmans (my fave!), I threw some natural shampoo and conditioner into my cart.
It was awful. My hair is very oily, and this shampoo didn’t clean it at all. I think I tried it a few more times before declaring natural shampoos didn’t work. (Because my one experience with one brand applies to all of them, right?)
Then about four years later, while nursing my second baby, I was scrolling through Instagram and found a beauty blogger who made me want to give natural personal care products another try. I had never heard of any of the brands she used, but she wrote about clearing her acne so I thought, “Why not give clean beauty another shot?”
My blog
As I researched and tested different products, my husband – ever the entrepreneur – told me I should start a blog. I told him no because I didn’t feel like I knew enough back then.
But over the years, I started having friends and family ask me for suggestions on different products. I also just really enjoyed sharing about what I knew and the products that I loved. After a while I started thinking that maybe I should start a blog.
And here we are! My vision for this blog is to create a community where everyone feels welcome, no matter where they are in their exploration of cleaner living. I hope to educate and communicate so women can make informed decisions based on their own needs and circumstances.
A little more about me
I live with my family in Orange County, Calif., where we enjoy a healthy lifestyle and great weather year-round. My daughter, Olivia, reads voraciously just like her mama, and my son, Caleb, loves all things cars just like his daddy. My husband and I are currently dreaming about the day we can buy a travel trailer and take the kids on an epic road trip.
I grew up in Western New York in a small dairy farming town 60 miles south of Buffalo. I’m a proud graduate of the University of South Carolina, and have also lived in Colorado Springs, Lake Placid, Indianapolis, and Northern Virginia (just outside Washington, D.C.).
Thanks for joining me in this movement toward cleaner living. I’m so glad you’re here.