YOUR VIRTUAL SELF CARE PACKAGE: PART 2

Are your kids driving you nuts yet? You already know we count dogs too (hough they may be easier to entertain at times). Kid moms and dog moms unite! Here are some ways to pass the time together. If you put any of these ideas to work, tag us in your photos, cause, we could use some connection too. Shoutout to our mamas on the L/A Team for helping us bring together some of these fun ideas to share.

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE: LASH TRAYS

If you’re like us and have a million empty lash trays, put them to good use instead of tossing them! Your little can bedazzle the outside of the lash trays (stickers are less mess!) and store Barbie’s outfits in style. This is a recycle you can feel good about. Sustainability, but make it fashion.

Another thing you can do with these trays is, of course, use them as pro-made storage. Kristen shared with us on the Academy page this week how she prepares these empty trays to store her pro mades without them getting wild in there (which we’ve all experienced - not fun)!

Enjoy her tip!

One more use for these empty lash trays is to turn them into client aftercare kits! Clear out the stickers, add your own logo sticker to the front, and load it up. Here are our ideas of what to put inside:

• Business card 
• Aftercare card 
• Extra spoolies + covers (trimmed paper straws)
• Lifesavers or jolly ranchers 
• A card explaining where to find you on Yelp/Google to write a review

DON’T FORGET ABOUT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

It’s easy during times like these to forget to take care of yourself, especially when your focus is keeping your household sane and happy. Don’t forget to take a few minutes to yourself every day to clear your mind and get in touch with yourself. The best practices we can recommend to care for yourself are things that bring you to the present moment so you can be still, even if it’s just for a little while. 

YOGA

As we shared last week, yoga is high up on our list for keeping our bodies pain free and centered. If you are new to yoga, there are many reasons for the importance of incorporating it into our lives as a practice. Jenelle’s favorite AZ yoga teacher has started doing classes remotely, and you can follow her on IG at @irenepakyoga. Youtube has a plethora of great yoga sequences you can do for specific types of pain or goals. If you are a beginner, know that there are things you can do to modify the poses to make them easier for your body to adjust. This is something you could get your kids involved with and do as a family as well. 

MEDITATION

Regardless of your religious or spiritual beliefs, the world needs your light to shine now more than ever. There are a million reasons to begin and maintain a daily meditation practice, but thanks to the internet as a resource, HERE are some science based benefits of meditation. The human mind is very powerful, and it can change your life if you let it. Most importantly, don’t forget to breathe.

Check out these apps that we love for meditation, music, and stories

• CALM 
• HEADSPACE
• AUDIBLE

THE DOG DAYS OF QUARANTINE

Think about the joy that your dogs feel having you home 24/7! We’re digging this working from home in cozy pj’s with our doggos business a whole lot. If you don’t know Jenelle, then you may not know of her obsession with dogs. Let us just tell you, if reincarnation exists, we want to come back as one of her fur babies in another life. She has some tips to share to keep your dog children busy if you need to take a break from providing free massages…

• Zoe and Smokey love their rawhide treats! One of THESE keeps them entertained for hours.

• Since we all have plenty of toilet paper on hand (too soon?)… start saving those empty rolls! They can be stuffed with treats and hidden to create a fun puzzle for your fur baby to solve (calling all cat mamas)! Fill an empty toilet paper roll with treats of your choice, and fold the ends of the roll in to seal it. This also doubles as a fun family activity, because let’s be real, watching animals figure stuff out is entertaining AF. 

KEEP LITTLE HANDS BUSY WITH THESE FUN IDEAS

MAINTAIN A SCHEDULE

Are your children school-aged? We have lots of mamas in our L/A team, some of whom have children that may be learning from home until as far out as September! Chances are, they are accustomed to having a schedule throughout the week. For children and adults alike, schedules are an important part of staying motivated, curious, and inspired in whatever we're doing. It’s important to keep structure in your days even though they may be at home for a while. Check out this great schedule created by @benbergeron to use as an example.  

MAKE SOME CLEAN - INGREDIENT BATH BOMBS

We Love THIS recipe for bath bombs you can make with your littles. The best part about making these is knowing what ingredients are truly inside and that they are safe for your kiddo! Plus, kids love to use things that you’ve made with them. It creates memories, which are the most valuable thing you can give to your children. You can find the ingredients on Amazon if you don’t have them on hand already and are unable to get to a store. They are fun to make for Christmas and Birthday gifts for loved ones of all ages. Heck, with all this free time you’ve found recently maybe you can finish everyone’s Christmas gifts about 9 months early this year! 

*The only step missing from these instructions is to make an extra one for yourself, and after your little is tucked in, pour a glass of wine and put it to use, mama.

SCRUB ME UP, SUGAR!

Who doesn't love DIY bath products? Let’s keep the ball rollin’ with another fun bath treath you and your littles can make with ingredients most people already have on hand. These are super cute stored in small mason jars, and with a piece of twine and a tag, make a great gift as well.

WHAT YOU NEED:

• ¼ cup coconut oil 
• ¾ cup granulated sugar 
• 2-4 drops skin safe food coloring (optional) 
• 10-15 drops of your fave essential oil(s) 

MAKE IT: 

• Microwave the coconut oil for 30 seconds or until melted
• Add in sugar and mix. Add more coconut oil or sugar until you reach desired consistency
• Add skin safe food coloring and essential oils of choice and mix
• Store in an airtight container (mason jars are cute + sustainable!)

GET THE CREATIVE JUICES FLOWIN’

Your littles need to express creativity to maintain their sanity, too! This geo inspired chalk project made us feel happy inside. Grab some painter’s tape, the bucket of chalk, and make something pretty together in your yard.

This reminded us of Kristen’s (IG: kristen_lashaffair) beautiful creation on her studio walls! Your kids may not be able to help you if they’re little, but this counts as geometry, right? She found the tape HERE.

Mamas, if you’ve run out of ideas for fun things to do, check out these sites for more:

• 35 Activities for Kids at Home (for when you're out of ideas)
• 87 Energy-Busting Indoor Games & Activities For Kids (Because Cabin Fever Is No Joke)

We hope you are able to take this time to enjoy your family, snuggle your animals, straighten out some of your personal life items of business that may have been neglected, and rest. We hope to be here for you as a beam of light during a dark time, and are always happy to hear from you! Keep tagging us in your photos and connecting with us on the 'gram! Stay well, L/A Fam! 

LASH AFFAIR