This week we speak with Shelly, the inspiring Founder of Beauty Shamans - a clean skincare company - about her daily rituals, go-to workouts, advice on starting your own wellness company, and the importance of following your passion.
-What does a normal day look like for you?
I like to start mornings with my beauty foods (a collagen elixir, a shot of green algae and vitamins) and a full glass of room temperature water with lemon. Then it’s usually not long before I make my coffee (I use organic, low acid coffee beans), which I enjoy as I read over emails and make a list of everything I want to get done that day. After that I typically do a sculpting workout or some yoga. After my workout I grab some crystals and get in a 15-20 minute meditation (I find that after moving my body my mind is more clear). As soon as I’m done with that I head back to the kitchen to make a TUSOL smoothie! In the middle of the day is when I’m either at home working on Beauty Shamans stuff or I am at the spa giving facials. When I get home I have a pot of herbal tea with my husband and we talk about our day. Then I go into my bathroom and do my whole facial routine for the night! I light some candle or incense, turn on my aromatherapy diffuser and stretch my body a little more before going to bed.
-Do you have any daily rituals that you can't live without?
Yes, I cannot live without oil cleansing! This is probably the longest step in my skincare routine but definitely the most important for me. Oil cleansing softens my skin, removes excess dirt and bacteria and makes the rest of my products so much more effective. At the same time, it helps my skin release toxins, increases circulation, works out any facial tension and helps me connect with myself at the end of the day.
-What does your skincare routine look like?
I usually switch up the products I put on my skin at night but I always begin by assessing my skin while oil cleansing, and then see what it’s asking for and go with whatever my intuition is telling me. In general, I start with the oil cleansing, then I follow that up with my regular face wash. I always use a warm, clean washcloth to remove both of these products from my skin. Then I’ll use my toner or hydrating mist, massage in a few pumps of a serum, a few drops of one of my omega oils, a dab of my eye elixir, and seal it all in with a moisturizer. If I were to use my gua sha stone or any of my other devices on my skin that night, that would happen right after the cleansing step. I have lots of skin tools and toys, and if I have the time for it I like to work with one of them each night. My other tools; a vibrating energy wand, a handheld microcurrent device, a red LED light, a reflexology tool, a dermaroller and various gua sha stones.
-What is your go-to work out?
My body needs yoga so I have to get that in at least twice a week, but as a former athlete I also LOVE feeling the burn. For the days when I want a vigorous workout I use The Sculpt Society app by Megan Roup. Since doing her workouts my body has never felt better, and they’re so fun and quick!
-What has been the most exciting part of your career so far?
When I first started Beauty Shamans I still had lot of personal growing to do. I knew my products were great but I wasn’t sure of myself or my message, and I was definitely insecure about how I would be perceived by my peers, my family and myself. I started doing a lot of inner work, like meditation, visualizations, affirmations, etc. I read this book called “Ask and it is Given” that had all these techniques for manifesting all the things you want in your life. I followed everything the book said and like magic (literally felt like magic) things just started manifesting left and right around me. When I realized that I had so much more control over my life than I ever imagined, my confidence grew and with that, so did the business. So the most exciting part of my career so far has been watching myself and Beauty Shamans grow beautifully along side one another as well as into one. Whether my business is successful or not, I’m happy that I’ve found myself and my personal power in the process.
-What advice would you give to other women you wish someone would have told you?
I wish someone would have told me that it’s ok to be different. For so long I tried to fit a mold that just left me feeling inadequate and stressed for not following “the formula.” The advice I would give to other women is to remember that there is only one version of you; you are unique and the right people will always love you for who you are when you are your authentic self. Stop comparing yourself to others because you will never be like them, and they will never be like you. Being authentic will radiate more pure energy than trying to be the ideal version of you.
-What’s your advice for anyone reading this who wants to run their own beauty and wellness business one day?
Our work is sacred and should be an extension of our true essence. If you are starting a beauty or wellness brand, my advice would be to make sure your personal goals and philosophies align with whatever it is you are doing. You have to love what you are selling or offering and truly believe in it and then live your life as if you are a walking version of the brand. When there is love behind your work, you will always find success. You may still have set backs, but you will never fail because even when you begin to perceive something as a “failure” it will turn into a learning experience in your mind very quickly, and your journey will just continue on from a place of more wisdom, experience and love.
