1. Switching our Laundry Detergent

I know from experience that when you have contact dermatitis aka "itchy because something touched me" nearly the first thing I will hear suggested is to switch laundry detergents. Especially when you have a new baby, we frequently hear about switching to baby detergents but in my experience, I found the scents to be too strong for my nose. Don't get me wrong, I looooove that intoxicating actual new baby scent but I'll be honest and say I'm not the biggest fan of that faux baby powder detergent smell.

The detergent we've been using lately has been Ivory Gentle Aloe Scent Laundry Detergent which I am very honored to partner with because it ticks all of the boxes for what I look for in a detergent. It's hypoallergenic and contains no dyes, phosphates, brighteners, chlorine, or enzymes and is specifically made with sensitive skin in mind. It's also very effective at cleaning the dirt and food stains that magically end up all over my two toddlers by the end of the day and is affordably priced. It's super accessible since you can pick it up at Walmart!

Oh, and you can also use it to clean hand-washed items (such as Aria's stuffed animals that always seem to end up wearing Mommy's lipstick) by adding 2 TBSP in a gallon of water which makes one less product I need to stock. 🙌

2. Washing Sheets & Pillowcases Frequently

Not only is slipping into freshly washed sheets just the most ASMR, mind-numbingly great feeling, it's also much healthier for you especially if you tend to suffer from asthma. SUPER FUN FACT TIME! I learned from my allergist that having eczema is positively correlated with having allergies which means that if you can better manage even minor allergy symptoms from prevention, it can actually improve eczema occurrences too. We are constantly shedding skin cells everywhere but especially on our bedding which can lead to dust problems, so you want to make sure that you are keeping it clean. Even more so, I try to rotate out my pillowcases regularly so that the acne on my skin is less likely to flare up. If you get too busy or forget, you can always put 2 pillowcases on your pillow and just remove the top layer after a few days so you can get twice as long before you have to wash again.

On top of just washing them in general, I also add additional layers to protect against dust mites by using a mattress protector, a pillow protector under my pillowcases, and a comforter protector. It's felt exactly the same sleeping with the layered bedding, but it's helped me sleep better overall.

3. Using an Air Filter

Having a nice air filter was another change I made after seeing an allergist and I can definitely see a difference in my health and energy when we sleep for a couple days in a hotel room or while staying with family. I like to keep our air filter close to our bed so that our air has less allergens while we sleep. I will note that not all air filters are equally as effective and different filters will work with different room sizes so make sure to do some research and change out dirty filters regularly.

4. Taking Vitamin D Supplements

Because this is an ingested item, taking Vitamin D supplements may come as a surprise for helping sensitive skin but especially if you tend to be like me and slather on the sunscreen and hide from the sun whenever possible, having a Vitamin D deficiency is actually quite common. I had a pretty major deficiency when I had my blood tested about a decade ago and had to go on a doctor-mandated regimen of daily Vitamin D doses and I was shocked at how major of a difference I felt. My skin improved but I was actually happier too. Allergies are the body overreacting to things it comes in contact with and not only does Vitamin D help to balance that immune response, it also can help alleviate winter blues and staying-inside-too-much blues which all have to do with Vitamin D which is synthesized from the sun's UVB rays on our skin. Less sun means less Vitamin D, so the supplements really help so much. If you want to know exactly how much to take, I would always ask your doctor first but generally adults should be getting 600 IU each day whether that is from foods, sunlight, or supplements. (source)

After making these relatively easy changes our whole family has lived a little healthier and less reactive than before so I really hope that some of my fellow sensitive skin folks out there can try these tips out.

If you also suffer from sensitive skin I would really love to hear any additional tips you've tried that have helped you so let me know what skin issues you suffer from and any of your favorite recommendations that have helped in the comments.

Thanks again to Ivory for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Those who follow me on Instagram may already know this but I mentioned in a recent post about how it’s honestly difficult for me to set aside time for treating myself, especially now that I have a baby. There will always be a million excuses in my head for all the tasks that need to be completed which is only compounded by the fact that I work full-time from home while also taking care of Aria full-time as well. Yes, I do plan on eventually getting childcare help but for now I’m just trying to embrace this relatively short time to have her closer and save a bit of money! Unfortunately, that also takes up large swaths of my free time which is usually spent scrubbing bottles or folding seemingly endless piles of laundry. That’s why I, and my ever-amazing partners Aveeno, have realized that it’s more important to put my “me time” as a priority in my schedule since otherwise it will inevitably just never happen. Any other ladies out there feel the same way? Can I get an amen over here?


Basically, my tactic is to either full-on leave the house for appointments like a spa treatment or massage once in a while (which you definitely deserve, let this not even be a question) OR do what is much more realistic for fitting into my hectic daily schedule which is to be 10x more efficient at things I do throughout the day so that I can spare a bit of time to myself each evening.

That’s why I wanted to share a few time-saving hacks that I’ve found makes a busy life run a little smoother by the end of the day.


You may have noticed a couple of my favorite pampering steps were taking advantage of the Aveeno Positively Radiant line like the 60 Second In-Shower Facial which works with the steam of your shower to kick your regular exfoliation up a notch. Ben (aka Mr. Toe as he has been affectionately dubbed by some followers) who typically loathes any complicated skincare routine even gives this one a thumbs up.


The Aveeno Positively Radiant Overnight Hydrating Facial is another one that, dare I say, harkens to sleep masks in the Korean skincare routines I was raised with. I apply this before bedtime and wake up with hydrated, radiant skin. It’s that hyaluronic acid, baby. It does wonders with very little extra effort by me.


The further along I’ve gotten in this whole parenting thing, the more strongly I’ve realized that women who take care of themselves set an important example for their children, which in the long run will mean so much more than if all the dishes didn’t get cleaned before bedtime for a night. Don’t forget to build yourself back up first so that you can take care of everyone else better!

The other day I was having a chat with my husband about how when we were single, we got bored from having too much free time. Then, after jobs and marriage we felt like we never had enough time to do everything we wanted to do, but looking back we actually had so much choice about our leisure activities. Now, between wrangling impressive blowouts from the little one while trying to stay on schedule with work without the house falling to pieces, all we can do is try to maximize the free minutes in our schedules to make our time together run smoother.

Like any major life change there is always a learning curve, but I've inevitably learned a few tips from the beautiful insanity that is motherhood to help the process along the way. Today I'm partnering with Dove to share how their new Shower Foam has helped speed up my morning routine along with a few other tips for a more efficient morning. These small habit changes may hopefully come in handy to some of you who are perpetually looking for a couple extra morning minutes!


Sometimes I just don't have the snappy coherency in the mornings to figure out exactly which scarf should go with those shoes and that shirt and I end up in something bland that's "good enough for now" but lacks that feel-good boost a good outfit should garner. If it's all set before bedtime, I find I'm much more likely to feel confident about my day, even if it's a weekend and I'm just staying home.

It always feels so strange on the first day of the new year to realize another 365 days has passed and be given the opportunity to start fresh again. Today may be the same as yesterday but truthfully, because we collectively step forward and reflect together, it is not just another day. It's a time to be thankful for the good and bad and pay that wisdom forward.

This past year for me has been the most physically difficult of my life as well as emotionally fulfilling beyond my expectation. Before getting pregnant, I always feared how my small frame would handle growing and delivering a baby, but now I can look back and say look what I did. (For the record I was 4'11" and 80 lbs pre-pregnancy which I will say openly in the hopes that it abates that fear in others.) Photos of my pregnant body still leave me in wonder at the sacrifices mothers go through and what a blessing it is that life is created that way. I will never be the same and I'm okay with that because there is nothing in my life I have ever done that compares with how fulfilled I feel being a mother.

I've written and re-written dozens of ways to try and explain how bringing Aria into the world has shifted my definition of joy, burden, humility, sacrifice, and love but maybe the best way is to just share this video of what the past year has been like for my husband and me. One second from each day of 2016.

Becoming a mother is something I've always dreamed about and always wanted to do. In so many ways, it has been far more rewarding and far more of a sacrifice than I could've ever imagined. It's officially been 100 days since this life-rocking event happened in my life so in reflection I wanted to share with you all 10 life lessons I've learned so far from being a mom which really, can apply to anyone, non-moms included.