Never Ending Wisdom From Mom

In 2010 for Mother’s Day, I shared my mother’s life tips – which are still incredibly relevant today, and which I still prescribe to 100%.

Yesterday, on the Polla Sisters blog, I shared her beauty tips – which I utilize every day.

Yesterday, upon reading that latest post, she called to say how lovely it was, and also that she had a lot more tips now that she is reaching her late 60s. Tips about beauty as you age. So today, I share these – with gratitude that I have a mother that makes me look forward to aging, makes me look forward to everything that lies ahead, and never makes me feel like the best is behind me – in beauty or in life.

In Mom’s words:  (and here are more of Mom’s words)

“My daughter Ada just published on her blogs my beauty tips — and they were and are my beauty tips indeed, for everyday! When I turned sixty, I felt that I should add at least one each year.

60 : Think about your weight and check it everyday. A few kilos more make for a rounder face, fills in the fine lines: this is nice. A lot of kilos more make too round of a belly. Find the right balance.

61 : Beautiful hair is essential. I add one more Aveda product every six months to my collection of hair products, and now have almost as many hair products as I do skin and body care products.

62 : Lower the height of your heels just a little bit. Keep the highest just for home parties and sex of course. Otherwise, I prefer ankle boots and booties rather than low heeled shoes. 

63 : Cherish the scent of your skin. Use products that always make you smell delicious – whether lotions or perfume. I love blueberry, rose, … 

64 : Be smart with alcohol: champagne, but with ice (and even some sparkling water mixed in).

65 :  Double the frequency of medi-spa consultations. Never look “done” but take care of those brown spots as they appear. Mix a drop of the Alchimie Forever Kantic brightening moisture mask every day with your day cream and night cream.

66 : Dare to add some glittery powder on your arms whenever you do not wear long sleeves. And wear a lot of long sleeves.

67 : Tell young women how beautiful they are. They will look at you and see you how beautiful you are, and say the same back to you. Forever.

68 : Never say, nor even think, you are « old » . Just say your age as a number, not as a judgment: I am 68. 68 is what I am, I can feel it as I wish, and others will feel it as I make it feel.”

And as we get off the phone, she reminds me to smile. Smile at the sun, smile at the clouds, smile at life. That will make you “une beauté qui traverse le temps” – hard to translate as such poetic French words are, but something like “beautiful through the ages.”

Thank you, Mom!

Ali Yanez

“Find your tribe and love them hard,” and other wisdom from Ali Yanez, Director of Education, Aveda

New York City in the fall is fabulous, in particular during the weekend of Intercoiffure’s Fall Atelier , which is the perfect occasion to connect with old industry friends and make new ones. Fancy running in to Ali Yanez here, the Director of Education for Aveda. I met her a number of years ago when she was heading operations for LifeTime, and have loved her ever since. She is petite, perfect, fierce, and fascinating. We caught up over a glass of wine last night…

AP: What city were you born in? AY: Minneapolis, MN.

AP: What city to do you live in? AY: Golden Valley, MN, 5 minutes from Minni. (The weather has not driven me away).

AP: What is your middle name? AY: Marie. And my real name is actually Alexandra. My family always called me Alex and then I got the nickname Ali in preschool – there were three Alexs in my class, and the other two were boys.

AP: What is your astrological sign? AY: Virgo.

AP: What is something about you most people don’t know? AY: I speak Spanish, people are always surprised at hearing a blondie speak Spanish. Also, I am a tap dancer – a really good one!

AP: What is your most prized possession? AY: My family, namely my husband and my two girls (2 and 8 years old).

AP: If you could have dinner with the person of your choice, who would it be? AY: Mother Theresa. I think she was an amazing giver and I have wanted to meet her ever since I was a little girl. She has taught me that care should be at the root of everything that we do.

AP: Describe your fashion style in three words maximum. AY: Classic. Trendy. Upscale.

AP: Do you wear a watch? If yes, what model? AY: Yes. I have many. My TAG is my favorite but I tend not to travel with it.

AP: Diamonds or pearls? AY: Diamonds.

AP: What is your #1 beauty secret? AY: Confidence.

AP: What fragrance do you wear? AY: Aveda Chakra #2.

AP: Botox or not? AY: Botox is in the eye of the beholder.

AP: Hair color: natural or not? AY: Not. I have been coloring my hair since age 10, and I have tried pretty much all colors!

AP: What are your special diet tips, if any? AY: Everything in moderation.

AP: What do you do for exercise? AY: Group fitness classes and lifting heavy weights – I love lifting heavy weights. I try to exercise seven days per week…

AP: What are three things that you always have in your fridge? AY: Eggs. Almond milk (for smoothies). Coffee creamer (for coffee).

AP: What is your cocktail of choice? AY: Titos and soda with both lemon and lime.

AP: What is your secret to work/life balance? AY: Love what you do. And then balance is not even a question.

AP: How many miles do you fly per year on average? AY: I am in the field a lot and I fly every other week, for shows, for market tours, for education. I probably fly between 75,000-100,000 miles per year.

AP: What are your three top tips for travel? AY: 1. When traveling short tips, I use my contact lens case to create travel sizes of my favorite beauty products. 2. I pack dry shampoo to I don’t have to pack hot tools. 3. I always travel with protein bars.

AP: 3 songs on your ipod right now. AY: Ellie Goulding On My Mind; Fergie, LA Love; and Sims, Pay No Mind.

AP: What book are you reading right now? AY: I just finished Gangland by Jerry Langton . It is about gangsters in Mexico. I am obsessed with the cartels in Mexico and totally fascinated by their operations. It is insane how they control everything and anything that happens in Mexico.

AP: Quote to live by. AY: Let your inner badass run the show. Find your tribe and love them hard.

AP: What is your worst pet peeve? AY: I have more than one! I hate knuckle cracking. I hate long nails and unkempt nails. And it really bothers me when people chew with their mouth open.

AP: What time do you usually wake up in the morning, and how many hours of sleep do you usually get? AY: I usually wake up around 5 am and I try to sleep at least six hours. I have to workout in the morning.

AP: What is your favorite thing about the beauty industry? AY: The people.

AP: Least favorite thing. AY: The people. Ha ha.

AP: Who is your mentor? AY: The technical team members I have worked with and our customers are my mentors. They have taught me everything I know about our industry. If you listen to them and meet their needs, everything becomes easy.

AP: Words of advice for young women starting their careers today. AY: Work hard. Take any and all opportunity that is in front of you. Exceed every expectation. Always do more than what you are expected to do. When I worked the front desk, I didn’t just work the front desk. I swept hair, I made sure the stations and salon looked great, and more. Finally, do what you love, find your passion. The rest will follow.