Jess’s Year in Review & The Products That Got Her Through It
As I feel the sunshine of summer approaching, I am overwhelmed by the last year (or, years). From an economy on the brink of collapse, financial institutions crumbling, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the denouement of Covid, it's as if an almost three-year winter is ending. My hope is that we are welcoming in a new era of being content, exuding happiness, and for myself personally, allowing my intuition to steer me. As I get older I have less patience for bullshit and perfection, and am focused on bettering myself in any way I can, from the books I have read, efforts to be more patient in my interactions, and to fully understand the quote "your body holds the score".
For those of you who don’t know me personally or just as the owner of SHEN, I am a single mom of two boys (ages 11 and 14) who like everyone is trying to do the best I can. That being said, this last year was a struggle to say the least, from the ever-changing retail landscape and raising my boys, to dealing with an acrimonious co-parent and having my heart broken by a boy (no "man" would ever treat a woman and her kids that way). I was met with the unplanned choice of whether or not to add another child to my world. This baby would have been here May 14th, and as much as I look back with a broken heart at what could have been, I know that this partner of mine would have broken me much worse had we stayed together.
At the end of September last year, I finally made the decision to deal with some past traumas and understand myself on a deeper level. I attended the Hoffman Process in Northern California: a week of no phones, no internet, no connection to humanity, sleeping in a trailer, and doing 14 hours of community therapy a day. No one really tells you what goes on during that week, and I am certainly not going to, but what I can tell you is this: trauma or not, this is a place where we can get in touch with ourselves and understand our connection to spirit on a heightened level while releasing painful patterns that we’ve acquired from (you guessed it) our parents. There was an immense amount of tears, laughter, joy, understanding, compassion, empathy, and deep sadness. What I left with is something I will treasure always....so much so that I just signed up for another program they are offering in October for a long weekend.
Going to Hoffman, I brought very little - just a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt for each day. On the beauty front, I wanted to feel like I had all I needed, so I brought along easy items that gave me time to test them out. While there, I used lab samples from Roz of their new The Foundation Shampoo and Conditioner, along with their Santa Lucia Styling Oil. I cannot live without that oil and now I can't live without Mara’s shampoo and conditioner, either - which you can buy today!
On the skincare front, I brought the new Dr. Sturm Super Anti-Aging Cleansing Cream, the Viktor Michael Serum and Mask, and the Circa1970 Luxury Face Oil and Dr. Sturm Super Anti-Aging Night Cream for hydrators. I packed the ever-reliable EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 Oil-Free because I cannot survive without it. I grabbed a bunch of different clips and scrunchies, but of course, I forgot a hairbrush.
UV Clear SPF 46 Oil-Free
$41
UV Clear Tinted Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
$43
UV Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+
$34
UV Elements Broad-Spectrum SPF 44 Tinted
$40
Roz Santa Lucia Styling Oil
$45
Pleated Scrunchie
$11
Checkered Chunky Claw Clip
$20
Plaid Checkered Scrunchie
$5
4pc Checkered Creaseless Setting Clip Set
$24
Foundation Shampoo
$39
Roz Willow Glen Treatment Oil
$48
Ciao For Now™ Post Injection Care Mask
$112
Foundation Conditioner
$42
Hidden Agenda™ Pre and Post Injection Care Serum
$157
2pc Dog Resin Hair Clip Set
$24
Super Anti-Aging Night Cream
$395
Luxury Face Oil
$110
4pc Mini Fruit Hair Claw Clip Set
$22
2pc Shell Mini Claw Clip Set | Eco-Friendly
$18
2pc Mini Pearl Daisy Hair Claw Clip Set
$14
Big Fruit Slice Hair Claw Clip | Eco-Friendly
$26
Big Checkered Claw Clip
$24
Batik Beads Hair Forks
$42
Brow Shaping Set
$27
Bunny Rabbit Painted Hair Claw Clip | Eco-Friendly Acetate
$26
2pc Rainbow Rhinestone Embellished Bobby Pin Set
$16
Super Anti-Aging Cleansing Cream
$100
Bejewelled Crystal Claw Clip | Eco-Friendly
$24
Even though it's supposed to be anonymous, four women knew me from being clients or online customers at SHEN. Each night I would sit with my roommates and we would chat about beauty products. What this solidified for me was that women need each other. We need to be lifted up by one another, to be supported, listened to and seen. Doesn't everyone want that? A true connection? I was able to test these products on 5 other women, all of different ethnicities and ages, and I can tell you they worked for all of us! Each product got a 5-star review from all the ladies in my trailer.
I am looking forward to a new awakening, a new spring, a new world of peace and happiness and being able to bring all of you, our community who keeps us alive, more incredible products.
