Episode 318: Parenting from Abundance with Lilliana Vazquez

Our guest this week, Lilliana Vazquez, has held many titles - style expert, former television host on E!, and most recently, mama to her almost one year old son, Santiago. Like most episodes, our conversation is all about parenting but this one is a little different. We’re not only talking about Lilliana’s road to becoming a parent, including IVF treatment and her birth story, but also what is means to parent in abundance. She believes that making sure her own cup is full before anything else helps her be the best parent she can be. We also talk about the difficult feelings surrounding motherhood, advocating for your health (always!) and how good it feels to finally be heard. 

More about Lilliana: Lilliana is known as one of the fashion blogging OGs, and has carried many titles - from blogger to style expert, TV commentator to television host on E!. The enterprising star has curated a career that began from her small blog (CheapChicas.com), which she launched in 2008, to being seen by millions daily on numerous platforms including NBC TODAY, "Extra" to "The Talk," "Rachael Ray," "The Wendy Williams Show" and "Steve Harvey."  Today, she’s at PEOPLE (The TV Show) as a Special Contributor covering all things entertainment, red carpets, runways, and celebrity pop culture news.

Born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, to a Puerto Rican father and Mexican mother, Lilliana is a first-generation Latinx who radiates gratitude for the dedication and sacrifices that her family made for her. Among the first in her family to attend college, she graduated from George Washington University, where she earned a double-major in international business and entrepreneurship. Lilliana has always used her platform to advocate for her community, and fight for Latinx representation in media and entertainment, as well as raise awareness on social issues.

In April of 2021, Lilliana announced she was pregnant with her first child, after battling with six years of infertility and IVF. After living this experience, Lilliana wishes to use her voice and platform to break the taboo around infertility and how it affects the Latinx community. In July 2021, Lilliana announced the birth of her healthy baby boy, Santiago “Santi” Merrick McGrath. Lilliana hopes to continue sharing about her journey to motherhood, the lessons, the challenges and hope with other mothers and those who hope to experience motherhood one day.

Vocabulary from this week’s episode

IVF: In vitro fertilization (IVF) helps with fertilization, embryo development, and implantation, so you can get pregnant.

IUI treatment: Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a simple procedure that puts sperm directly inside your uterus, which helps healthy sperm get closer to your egg.

AMH test: AMH, or anti-mullerian hormone is a substance produced by granulosa cells in ovarian follicles. Research shows that the size of the pool of growing follicles is heavily influenced by the size of the pool of remaining primordial follicles (microscopic follicles in “deep sleep”). Therefore, AMH blood levels are thought to reflect the size of the remaining egg supply – or “ovarian reserve”.

Gentle cesarean: A gentle C-section is a cesarean section which is elective and can occur under controlled situations.

Lilliana’s experience: “You can apply the same principles as a natural birth - skin to skin, cord clamping, vernix, and weight & height measurement can be delayed as long as the baby is okay. You can ask for a clear curtain instead of blue so you can watch the birth. You can also ask the doctor to take their time and be gentle; these are all things to discuss with your doctor if you are planning a gentle cesarean.”

Pick or Tip of the Week

Bricia’s pick this week is food! She has everything you can think of in her pantry - oils, salsas, etc. - she just wants to try one of everything. She recently tried David Chang’s products like the chili crunch, but her pick is the noodles. These are restaurant quality noodles come in clutch when you don’t have anything to eat.

Sun protection is Paulina’s tip this week. Coola Organic Radical Recovery After Sun Lotion has really helped her daughter’s recover from summer camp since they’re spending all day in the sun. They lather up before bed and it helps them so much in the morning.

Links

Follow Lilliana on Instagram @lillianavazquez

Episode 311: Beauty, Business and Good Moms: An Interview with mother-daughter duo Rea Ann Silva and Erica Dickerson of Beautyblender

Whoa, talk about a real GIRL POWER episode! This week we interview not just one, but TWO incredible super mamas: Rea Ann Silva, creator & founder of Beautyblender and her daughter, Erica Dickerson, Global Beauty Director of Beautyblender and podcast host of Good Moms, Bad Choices. The two have worked together basically since the conception of Beautyblender (when Erica started assembling products in the family garage!) and have since grown the business and their personal relationship. We talk to the duo about managing mom guilt, single motherhood, encouraging your children to follow their heart, and so much more. And of course, there is no shortage of beauty tips from these gorgeous ladies. We are obsessed with these two and the relationship they’ve created both at work and at home!

More about Rea Ann: Rea Ann Silva is a professional makeup artist and the creator and founder of Beautyblender. Her experience spans a nearly 30-year journey as one of the most sought-after Hollywood makeup artists in the industry. As the creative force behind Beautyblender, she single-handedly changed the beauty game. The Beautyblender concept came to Rea Ann while she was the Department Head of one of the first TV shows shot in hi-definition. Rea Ann handled the constant touch-ups with her hand-cut, edgeless sponges to mimic the seamless look of airbrushing. Soon, every celebrity that sat in Rea Ann’s chair wanted their own hand-cut sponge; thus creating the original edgeless sponge. Beautyblender quickly became the secret on set that had every pro talking.

Today, the category-creator holds countless beauty awards and is beloved by both makeup aficionados and newbies as the go-to tool for achieving a perfectly blended complexion. As Beautyblender expands, we continue to innovate easy-to-use products that require minimal efforts yet offer maximum results. In November 2020, Rea Ann was honored at the Smithsonian American Museum of Natural History in the “Only One in The Room” exhibit, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage.

More about Erica: Erica Dickerson is the Global Beauty Director of Beautyblender, host of the podcast Good Moms, Bad Choices and a content creator. Her history with Beautyblender began at conception...literally. As the daughter of Founder and CEO Rea Ann Silva, Erica was the brand’s “first-ever product assembler” back when Beautyblender began out of her mother’s garage in Los Angeles. Little did she know that her mom’s side project would turn into the most popular makeup tool in the world.

Before becoming Beautyblender’s Global Beauty Director, Erica pursued acting where she landed a handful of national commercials and major roles on shows like “Bones” on Fox and “Insecure” on HBO.

When she turned 18, Erica left Los Angeles to attend college at Marymount in New York City. After completing her first year, an opportunity arose to assist and road manage Grammy-winning artist, Macy Gray. Yearning to travel and get real work experience, she took the job and worked closely with Macy for three years while she toured the globe.

In 2010, as Beautyblender began expanding into consumer retail outlets like Sephora and the ever- growing social media landscape rapidly changing she became heavily involved in growing the digital side of the brand.

Conceptualizing, producing, and creating the brand voice for Instagram, Youtube, and Sephora’s education team, Erica has played a major role in Beautyblenders massive cult following. With the company’s rapid growth, she was tapped to help grow their Broadcast business where she currently appears on the HSN and QVC. She also works closely in product development creating many of the products that grace the shelves of Sephora and Beautyblender’s other global partners.

Aside from her full-time career in beauty, she is also the host of popular podcast, Good Moms Bad Choices. Over the last three years, she has helped develop a platform and safe space for mothers and women to share, listen and learn about all things related to parenthood, sex, culture, and mental health. Good Moms Bad Choices is rated in the top 5% of podcasts globally and continues to change the landscape of what is acceptable for mothers and WOC to seek, accept and discuss.

Through the success of her Podcast, she just signed a major book deal with Harper Collins based on GMBC and her experience navigating single motherhood slated to release in 2022. She has been featured in Vogue, BET, Good Housekeeping, XO Necole, and recently was honored by Create and Cultivate as one of the Top 100 Entrepreneurs of 2021.

Erica currently resides in Los Angeles with her daughter Irie Jane.

Our conversation with Rea Ann and Erica

Who are Rea Ann & Erica?

The Creation of Beautyblender

Erica’s start at Beautyblender

“A lot of our bad choices are actually good choices. It just depends who you ask and who’s listening.” - Erica

Parenting a 7 year old

The differences in their parenting styles

Being a working single mom

Working together as mother & daughter

The concept of time

Does mom guilt ever go away?

The evolution of women supporting women

Building a community

Tips for Flawless Skin

Drink lots of water & apply sunscreen - Rea Ann

WET YOUR BEAUTYBLENDER - Erica

Links

Follow Rea Ann and Erica on Instagram - @reaannsilva and @watcherica

Follow @beautyblender, the original edgeless egg-shaped sponge, on Instagram

Follow @goodmoms_badchoices and listen to their podcast here

Check out some of Beautyblenders’ latest products! Shop the newest Papaya sponge and sign up for the waitlist for the new BOUNCE™ Magic Fit Creamy Bronzer & Highlighter Duo

Episode 195: Live from the Super Mamá Social w/ the iconic Emmy Award Winner, Myrka Dellanos on Faith & Community

This week we have the 2nd part of our series from the Super Mamás Social panels. Today, we are sharing our conversation with the iconic Myrka Dellanos; a two time Emmy award-winning journalist who has gained credibility and the love of millions in the United States and Latin America.  We talk about her spiritual journey and the importance of keeping our faith through hardships (as these only make us stronger) and doing things with excellence and breaking all stereotypes.  

Also, HUGE thank you to @McDonalds for their beautiful activation of floral bouquets with @MadreFlorals at our Social! It was SO beautiful. & for their delicious coffee from #McCafe in our mom lounge.

Our conversation with Myrka Dellanos

How did you come into your faith, and how does faith shape who Myrka is today?

What are some of those hardships you’ve had in your life that you are most proud of today?

Today, we are here on this stage because of women like you who have opened so many doors for women who talk and look like us.  Who have been those women to you? And who would you like to be for the next generation of women.

Audience Q&A

What would be your advice for starting your brand in 2019?

How do you think social media has changed the approach of traditional media outlets?

How do you create community in a professional field where you don’t see people like yourself in them?

What is your advice on mom guilt & going back into the work force?

How do you find that extra energy that pushes your forward?