Finding Balance: How 3 Bold Women Practice Self-Care
Written in collaboration with Aveeno®Whether you’re investing in a healthy skincare routine, or attending to the various needs of work and parenthood, balance is the key to a healthy mind and body.
That may be easier said than done, but bold women across fields are sharing ways in which they find that healthy balance. Jewelry designer Stella Simona, chef and restauranteur Camille Becerra, and WNBA All-Star Skyler Diggins-Smith all discuss the simple daily routines that allow them to balance professional demands with small acts of self-care.
"In my jewelry design, it’s all about balance.”
As a mother, designer, and co-founder of the Haati Chai jewelry company, Stella Simona is always practicing a balancing act. “Life can be really hectic,” she admits. “It’s sometimes a big blur having a family and then having a business. It gets so busy; you can be back and forth between meetings and appointments.” Amid the day’s various demands, Stella finds that tiny acts of self-care allow her to keep her feet on the ground.
“I try to keep these daily rituals that keep me grounded and make me feel like there’s a sense of repetition and escape in home,” she says of these small acts. So, what do her rituals entail? In the morning, as she rushes out the door, Stella likes to keep her routine “simple and quick.”
“I need a lotion that works right away and keeps my skin moisturized all day long,” she says of her morning skincare ritual. That’s why she soothes her body with Aveeno® Daily Moisturizing Lotion with Prebiotic Oat, which replenishes the natural moisture barrier of the skin to lock in daylong moisture. “I spend a lot of my day thinking about skin,” she reveals, “because skin has become my canvas for my jewelry.”
As for her afternoon self-care, Stella has taken to journaling, which she considers “a free space for me to do what’s coming to mind. I don’t really put too much thought into it.” By evening, she’s ready to unwind with a cup of tea and a comforting bath, a time where she can reflect on the day and meditate alone. “It’s productive,” she says, “but it’s also a way of not neglecting your self-care.”
“That balance between chaos and just that nice, serene, calm vibe is exactly what I need.”
"You want to marry and balance the sweetness with the saltiness.”
Balance is key for any chef as they carefully match flavors to build a dynamic dish. For chef and restauranter Camille Becerra, that balance doesn’t end in the kitchen. “My chef’s philosophy is that it’s the whole experience,” she says. “When you see a dish, it shouldn’t just look pretty, it should also be really delicious.” So how does this extend into her everyday life?
“Balance to me is taking the time to have my body and mind meet,” Camille explains. Just as she pairs flavor profiles in the kitchen, Camille seeks to balance the rigors of her culinary career with her own self-care needs. "Cooking can be very therapeutic,” she maintains, “but my line of work is very hard on my hands. Hot water. Steam. Acids. Little nicks and cuts that you just get when you’re working fast with sharp objects.” All of this demands a reliable self-care routine that enables her beloved work.
“I need to quickly restore balance to my dry, cracked skin, so I can continue doing what I love without painful distractions,” Camille explains. That’s why she relies on Aveeno® products to practice this self-care. Just a small amount helps keep her hands soft, soothed, and moisturized all day long, even in a hectic kitchen.
As for a greater balance in life, Camille discusses just how important it is to make time for family and friends in addition to creatively challenging work. “For me, the ideal meal is being around people that I love and care for,” she states. “It’s about the environment. That’s my perfect meal.”
“Balance is about prioritizing what’s important.”
6-time WNBA All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith likes to say she has a “beauty and the beast mentality.”
“On the floor, I’m competitive,” she admits. “That’s just who I am. I’m intense. I’m fierce.” But off the basketball court, Skylar says there is much more to her.
“When we talk about the beauty side,” she explains, “I like to joke, I like to laugh, I wear a little bit of makeup, a little mascara, maybe a little lip gloss. I like to be light, I like to be myself. So, I would say it’s like two different mind states.” Acknowledging that balance between point guard fierceness and everyday joy lets her put her whole self into every task.
“Taking care of my skin is the game before the game,” Skylar explains, noting the importance of caring for her skin health before the sweat and intensity of basketball. “I sweat every day,” she admits. “I work out every day. So, keeping my skin fresh, I think that’s necessary. Even if I only have a minute.”
In the shower, Skylar likes to cleanse with Aveeno® Positively Radiant®, which leaves her with brighter, clearer skin. “It definitely helps me set my mind up for whatever’s next,” she says of her cleansing routine, “but also being present and unwinding and taking a break. That all is a part of achieving balance.”
Despite her routines, Skylar admits, “I don’t achieve balance every single day.” Between training, scoring wins for the team, making time for friends and family, and caring for herself and her own needs, there aren't always enough hours in the day. “It’s just about prioritizing those things,” she concedes. “It starts with time management, having a great support system, and pampering yourself sometimes.”
Still, she says that the key to finding balance is checking in with herself. “It’s being able to break away and taking moments for Sky. What does Sky want? What does Sky need right now?”
“That’s going to always evolved and change every single day,” she concludes. “And I think I’m still learning that lesson.”
Find the balance in your life
You don’t have to be a jewelry entrepreneur, a master chef, or an all-star athlete to appreciate some self-care. No matter where you are in life, you can find balance by developing small moments of self-care every single day. Once you care for yourself, you’ll be even more capable of caring for others.