Highbrow Hippie Blog

As we ease into 2023, I’ve really been leaning into our theme of simplification. As an entrepreneur and mother to a young child, time is my most valuable resource. I am constantly looking for ways to simplify and create more space in my life. I think we can all identify with the feeling of overwhelm spending most of our time on our “have to” items and not enough on our “want to” things. Thus far I have decluttered my bathroom to include only the products I use and love, cleaned out closets and home and at work and gone through that massive pile of unopened mail and catalogs I know we all have. Over the years I have learned a few things that work best for me on how to simplify our lives so that we have more time left to focus on what we want to do.

Well, here we are in 2023. You all know we tend not to follow big fads or trends, especially when it comes to the new year. So, in true Highbrow Hippie fashion, we'll be focusing on simplifying in the upcoming year. This won't be about making promises that feel far out of reach or setting unrealistic parameters in any way, it's more about cutting down on the noise.

We talk a lot around here about our favorite hair care products, routines, and rituals. As Black women, weekly hair rituals have been a part of our experience for as far back as we can remember. From at-home hot oil treatments, scalp massages, and hair steaming to protective styling and DIY hair masks, we've seen and done it all. Not only are these routines a way for us to care for our hair but they're an opportunity to slow down and focus on ourselves as well.

Yesterday, during our weekly meeting we chatted about what wellness means to us. What we're drawn to in order to make ourselves feel good and also what we turn away from. A good nights sleep, laughter and plenty of water, yes. Toxic positivity and people who say one thing, but then do something else, no.This space is filled with people telling us what to do - what to eat, what supplements to take, how to think, what workouts to do. Often times not doing any of it themselves. It can be challenging to navigate sometimes, however, at the end of the day all that matters is what works for you.

Fall is my favorite time of year. The crispness in the air, the changing leaves (yes, even here in LA!) and the darkening evenings ushering me to bed by 9. This slow transition towards Winter invites us to slow down after the busyness of summer and prepare ourselves for the slower days ahead. It’s also my favorite time of year to assess my beauty routine and double down on all things moisture before the challenges of dry winter skin and hair set in. In addition to doubling down on moisture, I’m really paying attention to streamlining and finding products that do double duty.