Self-care is not Selfish!

It’s a new year, and a new opportunity to take care of yourself. The first step of self improvement starts with you. 

MASAMI believes in the importance of caring for yourself -- and a fresh, clean head of hair is essential. Our products provide naturally harvested Mekabu seaweed from Japan, which ensures healthy, non-toxic care for all hair types. Although 2020 was a challenging year for all of us, it's crucial to care for yourself, both mentally and physically. 

Founding a brand is not easy. Some of the female founded brands we partner with face uncertainty, unexpected changes, and learning curves on a day-to-day basis. The importance of self-care, especially for these individuals is just as important as their business plan. 

Whether it's putting on your favorite show, running 10 miles, or doing a face mask, the act of self-care will influence how we carry ourselves, especially in the new year! There are lots of ways to practice self-care, and we asked a handful of friends from other female founded brands to share their favorite self care routines.

Katie Webb, Founder of Aila, a healthy, superfood pre-workout blend to support every female's active lifestyle. Katie, an avid workout instructor, finds that Aila is the perfect blend of superfoods to enhance self confidence before a workout:  “I’ve started meditating for 10-15 minutes every morning before I look at my computer or my phone. It’s helped me immensely with focus and confidence going into my day with a calmed mind. I also make sure to make some ‘me time’ throughout the day away from work - whether it be going on a run, walking my dog, or even just painting my nails.”

Katie Webb, Founder of Aila

Veronique Gabai, Founder of Veronique Gabai, her namesake fragrances inspired by Cote d’Azur: “Water, Air, Sun ... a little bit everyday, in different proportions as I can catch them! They balance me, inspire me and make me whole.”

Hilary Fenet, Founder of SheGone, a hospitality platform changing the way women travel, by partnering with different hotels over the world, and providing them with top of the line products to ensure a safe, and beautified business trip for women: “The most impactful self-care routines I lean on, especially during COVID, are running in the mountains, cold water immersions and journaling. I realize my first two answers aren’t something most people would categorize under self care, but they more or less cure all ails and are extremely helpful with managing stress, which this year has dealt in spades. When I’m looking for a more indulgent kind of self-care, I find Blue Bell Cookies and Cream ice cream and a good Netflix series will get the job done nicely.”

Elaine Robinson, Founder of Smiling Web Design, a website used to revamp and modernize outdated websites making them more user friendly and straightforward for clients to create their own unique brand: “Meditation and regular chiropractic always, but prior to Covid I was getting regular massages, acupuncture, and other fun things.”

Veronica Armstrong, Co-Founder & CEO of Isle de Nature, a bee-powered home fragrance company: “Following rituals that set me up for an evening of restorative sleep is my self-care secret. It sounds simple, sleep should come easy, but it often doesn’t so I make sure to unwind with a quick meditation, stretch session and lavender bath. Good sleep is my go-to stress killer.”

 Relaxing, bubble bath

Cassandra McClure, Founder of Clean Beauty Kit, a subscription box that promotes clean, healthy beauty products, especially made by females in the U.S.: “Self-care for me looks like reading a few words from God and giving thanks when I open my eyes. Then starting my day with coffee, a nice, hot shower, taking my vitamins and applying sunscreen from head to toe.”

Lauren Rome, Founder of Romer Skincare, simple skincare for all genders and all skin types: “My self-care routine is simple, just like our skincare brand, Romer. Lots of Sleep. Water. A consistent skincare and haircare routine. And I go for walks with my husband and our dog, Henry.”

Caitlin Iseler, Founder of Happyly, a family planning tool that provides reliable reviews on different activities such as playgrounds, hike paths, and kid friendly restaurants: “I love the 10 minute Peloton yoga anywhere series!”

Caroline Fabrigas, CEO of ScentFluence and ScentMarketing, Inc, custom scent creation: “Awakening with a few light stretches while still in bed. A cup of warm water with lime half hour before my usual cup of coffee. Love using a sixty second in shower facial product (Aveeno). My secret self-care weapon is my Masami shine serum, which helps my hair to shine! Body oil head to toe with a special focus on cuticles, heels and knees. Practicing a yoga Nidra meditation twice a week is my new way to take a virtual trip to a new state of mind. Enjoying the aroma of ScentFluence Mint Focus scent diffused from my USB scent diffusing stick helps to keep me alert throughout the day.”

Suzanne Zelov, Co-Founder of Sweet + Kind, a CBD infused skincare brand: “I like to soak in the tub for an hour (if I can get it!) and I put some of our High Relief Muscle Soothing Cream on my temples and forehead to melt the stress away. The lavender mint scent is so calming, and the CBD and arnica eases tension to ward off headaches. Then I listen to soft tunes and soak until I become a raisin!”

Becky Bavli, Founder of T is For Tame, a clean haircare brand for kids: “I just started taking Pilates again and it has made such a difference. After my class, I take a long hot shower, lather on face and body cream, a leave in conditioner on my hair - and I feel so renewed!”

Heather Fink, Founder of The Sexiest Beauty, lipstick to make you feel sexy all year round: "My self-care routine is a work-in-progress. I've been working on taking breaks. In the evenings. On the weekends. During the course of a day. Getting up, out, moving my body, taking a walk, stretching, meditating. Being mindful of my meals and the time to eat them. Taking a nice long shower with all my favorite beauty essentials - for example, my Masami haircare transports me, the textures, the scent, the mermaid hair... I'm obsessed! A home-facial with my favorite skincare. Treating my lips with our own Liplove is Selflove lip scrub and lip mask duo is pampering. I love the Tzol'skin eye gel, the si SKIN organics brightening elixir and our Rose Glow Face Balm. All are very indulgent, efficacious and luxurious, as are Bath & Body care from Sabon and KT Creative Goods. And manicures with Naomi Polish are a finishing touch. Top it all off with a swipe of our classic red lipstick and my Sue Phillips perfume in Rose Floral, even if I'm home alone, I'm in heaven. These sensorial cues remind me to Indulge a little. I then return, reluctantly, but refreshed and mentally empowered, to my work. Self-care isn't vanity, it's sanity." 

Heather Fink, Founder of The Sexiest Beauty

Jennifer June, CEO of DreamDry & Blvd, a top blow-out salon with locations in New York, Chicago and Atlanta: “It's important to have self-care routines, especially in today's environment. We have learned to become busy from home. So there are many excuses for not talking to friends, not exercising and not taking care of ourselves. I have made self-care part of my routine, by walking daily on my "lunch break" for a mental break from work. To keep my hair looking healthy and shiny, I take a break from the dryer, apply DD/MASAMI shine serum to my hair and dry it wrapped in a DD Hair Turban, the result is a super shiny beachwave, that honestly looks like it was done at a DreamDry salon!”

Jennifer Hessel, CEO of Serucell, skincare from within: “Inner health that promotes outer beauty is my self-care mantra. My routine for well being is a combination of rotating mediation, journaling, Pilates and walks by the river. My beauty routine is all about maximum skin & hair health. Step one, I cleanse with Skinceuticals Gentle Foaming Cleanser, step two is Serucell Eye Serum and Serucell Face Serum and lastly, Skinceuticals sunscreen. During the winter months, if I need extra hydration, I layer Biafine over my Serucell Face Serum. This year has been stressful for everyone and it seems to be taking a toll on my hair. I take Nutrafol everyday along side a new rejuvenating scalp treatment to promote a healthy scalp and hair growth.”

Sumita Kumar, Founder of Plantnrgy, plant-based protein & superfood mixes: “I end my day with a Golden Dream latte that helps me unwind, calm down, relax and sleep well. I wake up feeling rested and rejuvenated.”

Abby Wallach, Co-Founder of SpartiScents and ScentInvent Technologies: "Self-care is a very important part of my daily and weekly ritual! A few things that I do on a daily basis include; morning meditation with candles on my mat with the sun shining on my face. Some kind of exercise, either yoga, walk, spin and always dance and play great music. Intermittent fasting, connecting to at least 2 or 3 friends a day, vitamins and getting 8 hours of sleep.” 

Sandra Smith, Founder of Élevé Intimates, a loungerie brand for women who need a bit more support: “My self-care routine starts with connecting with someone in the morning and asking how I can help them, whether it's in business or personal. I find that shifting the focus on someone else makes me feel that I've really accomplished something, no matter how small, and it empowers me to go on with my day. It's not a coincidence that I named my line élevé, I want everyone to feel uplifted as much as possible!”

 Sandra Smith, Founder of Élevé Intimates

And, one last bit of self-care advice from our own female Founder, Lynn Power:  “I have been doing yoga every morning. I started with Yoga with Adriene on YouTube -- she has a 30 days of yoga video series that’s just enough to get me going. And after I finished the first 30 days, I went right onto the next series. Before I knew it, it’s been 9 months and it’s been a great way to focus and start my day.”

We hope you have found some inspiration in these self-care routines.  Now is the perfect time to start investing in yourself!