Often times, we women are called to wear many hats: We need to take care of our career, our household, our parents, our pets & children - we are usually responsible for so many things that we wind up forgetting to take care of ourselves. Moreover, when we do earn that little free time for some self love, we may envision ourselves going to the spa or beauty salon for a little makeover, or relaxing at home with a book. Feminine hygiene is certainly one area of our lives that we have overlooked and that makes sense: Who bothers to take care of themselves or care about their period? I know I certainly did not care much about my feminine hygiene routine before I got sick from using the regular stuff.
Based on a research paper from the National Institute of Health “A Question of Women’s Health”, an average North American woman uses over 10,000 products in her life time. We take so much pride in buying the best types of products: Organic skin cream, organic food, organic household products - we forget that feminine hygiene plays a vital role is keeping your body free of toxins and chemicals. The vagina itself is a highly permeable, mucous membrane and is therefore much more susceptible to absorbing foreign agents in your body than say for example, in your skin. That being said, if you are an avid user for tampons, using cheaper quality products that contain phthalates and/or allergens may lead to cases of toxic shock syndrome or yeast infections. Even has a user of menstrual pads, many of the cheaper quality products use a petroleum based liner which may lead to chafing and irritation upon use. If there is one area that is worth spending money on, trust me, it's on your period products.
Moreover, according to World Stat, there are over 100 million women of fertile age living in North America - can you imagine the amount of trash that can build just based off of our feminine hygiene products? That's a sizeable amount of trash: That's over 1.1 trillion tampon and pad products (not to mention their residual contents including applicators and wrappers) that we need to manage. We can really make a difference by switching over.
When we make the move to using 100% organic cotton products that are plastic free, and non-toxic, you can picture the HUGE difference that you would make for not just for your own health, but the health of the planet.
]]>The holiday season is fast approaching and you’re in a hurry to get everything ready: Prepping for potluck dinners, exchanging gifts, spending time with loved ones - it can all be pretty overwhelming. Combine that with a visit from Aunt Flow and you might catch yourself feeling a little bit like Godzilla on steroids.
Fear not - if you catch yourself feeling like December life is daunting, you’re definitely not alone. Stress and overwork may be a major factor in exacerbating period pain and worsening mental health. Here are a few tricks to make the holidays a little less hectic for yourself.
Take some time in your day to get yourself into a relaxing headspace. While it’s easy to get embroiled in all of the things that you need to do - shopping and fighting over that last available dress at the store, dealing with crowds, organizing/planning out your holiday schedule, make sure to take the time to give yourself some quiet space. Your period doesn’t get better with added stress, so make sure to take the time to relax and breathe.
Yes, we’ve all been there. Drinking in excess may lead to dehydration, hangovers and muscle tensions. These are symptoms that can worsen your period pain and can take your cramps feel like a highlight of a bad movie. That being said, avoid that holiday punch or that boozy egg nog and substitute it with a good old fashion glass of water. Not only will you avoid those extra calories, but you will feel more satiated afterwards. Believe me, your body will thank you for it later on.
On the topic of unhealthy eating habits, we all know that the holidays are a notorious time for overindulgence. And no, it’s not to say that you can’t have that extra piece of Yule log or that gingerbread cookie - it’s all about balance. Overeating can often times lead to indigestion, bloating or gas, which can further worsen your cramps. If you find yourself tempted to grab that extra piece of roast beef, just remind yourself that stomach real estate is finite and that you’ll feel much better if you substituted part of your eating with some vegetables.
Stress can build up quite easily over time, especially when there are so many perceived obligations that you go through during the holidays. With all of the added stress, it’s easy to become angry and irritable, especially if someone rubs you the wrong way. Did I write all my Christmas cards? Did I remember to schedule a dinner with my best friend? How much longer will that turkey need to cook for? The best favour you can do you is to cut out on any unnecessary activities, and use that extra time to prioritize what is important. At the end of the day, just remember that most people are forgiving - it’s really the thought that counts.
Take some time to inject some self-care into your schedule. Feeling that craving for a bubble bath or a facial? Just do it! Don’t get too anxious or overly attached on certain sentiments and thoughts, especially negative ones. There’s that saying, don’t cry over spilled milk (or holiday punch in this case). Just remember that all hard times will pass, and to enjoy the present moments when they are happy. Life is too short to dwell on things that don’t matter.
From our LP family to yours!
]]>It’s been nearly two weeks since we’ve officially celebrated our launch at the National Women’s show at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. It is our first launch event in Canada that spanned from Nov 9 - 11! We really cannot believe how fast time flies. There was a lot of work that went into setting up the booth and the show. Despite all of the work, there were days filled with frustration as there were days which ended euphorically.
Life is about exposing yourself to new situations and learning on the way. Even if we didn’t get everything perfectly the first time around, I personally found a lot of fulfillment and takeaways from the show. I wouldn’t trade these lessons for the world.
The one thing that we learned about trade shows and selling in general, is that preparation is key for a successful event. We drew most of our inspiration for our booth off of Pinterest and Google. We found that with enough time and planning (as a side note: we signed up 4 months in advance), we had us ample time to think about what we wanted to do. As a result, we were able to tap into our creative juices and optimize the ideas and budgeting of our booth. Can you believe that we were able to put our booth together for under $1,000 CAD? Thorough planning can really save you time and money. Careful planning and budgeting can also allow for you to prioritize what is important and what isn’t.
One of my biggest stressors and gripes during the entire planning and operational stages of the show was planning the logistical details. What goes where, how do we transport our inventory, how do we set things up, how many volunteers do we need? Add that on top of being pregnant and you can see how the stress can add up quickly! Luckily for us, we had some wonderful friends and family members who were able to dedicate their time, energy and patience in helping us with our booth. I could not be more grateful for their support. Logistics are a key element for an efficient set up and take down of your booth. My one recommendation would be to have a trial run before you set up on the day of the show, just so that you can get a sense of A) The dimensions of your booth, B) The material requirements and extra items that may be needed to make your booth more marketable; and C) The amount of set-up time required so that you can get a sense of the operations and tools needed to put together your booth.
I find that approaching potential customers is probably one of the most intimidating aspects of trade shows and sales in general, as you never know if they’ll be interested in your product. I even had a few experiences over the weekend where customers would yell or get irritated by my presence, but I recognize that sometimes, it has less to do with me, and moreso to do with them - perhaps they had a bad week, or they are stressed from the traffic. Regardless, over time, you begin to understand not to take rejection too personally. People can reject your product and your business on the basis of many factors - the way you look, the way you sound, heck they could even be put off by you smiling too much! The most important thing is similar to the concept of dating: Find the customers and the people who match your business’ target profile - and focus on the positive and not the rejection.
I have to admit: The first day of the show was a bit of a disaster for us - it was completely the wrong demographic, mostly consisting of menopausal women. Add in a rainstorm/half blizzard and you’ve got yourself a recipe for low traffic in our area. There were some moments where I felt like giving up, but I realize that if you give up, then you will never succeed. I picked myself up and I had to do a mini-pep talk to myself and in the evening, I stayed up late to re-strategize, redesign certain marketing elements, and ultimately re-arranged my booth so that it would better appeal to a wider range of consumers. Thankfully, on Saturday, customers began to really warm up to our booth and our salespeople. The learning point here is, it’s okay to be unhappy or dejected if you fail the first time, but if you don’t fight for your business, no one else will.
For trade shows, your sales team is the lifeblood of the company. They’ll be there not only to represent your brand, but also to help you when there is a high volume of people who you want to engage with. I found that over time, training and with more experience, my sales team became more and more confident and that translated to more comfortable interactions with customers. After all, no man (or woman) is an island - it is perfectly normal to ask for help. I was also especially grateful that our brand manager & a few influencers dropped by our booth in an effort to promote our presence and brand at the show! You only have 24 hours in one day - even if you can be as productive as you are, having some extra help will always do you some good.
While sales and funding is a fundamental part of any business, don’t make it your end all criteria. Business life itself is a wonderful teacher and it’s important to recognize that like everything else, you need to find a good balance in order to have longevity in the business. At the end of the day, I find that forging new and good quality connections is really a powerful channel to grow your company’s presence.
Until Next Time!
-Team LP
]]>
Check out this article to see for yourself.
With long term exposure, Glyphosate has been flagged by the WHO as being likely carcinogenic.
At Lilli Pads, you can be assured that your products have been tested rigorously to ensure that no pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals are in your products. In fact, 98% of our materials were tested to be organic cotton (with ZERO pesticides/herbicides/insecticides), the other 2% consisted of the bio-plastic made out of vegetable matter. At the end of the day, it's up to you to take matters into your own hands.
]]>Of course, like all of the other passengers on the flight, my initial reaction was anger and hostility. I realized half an hour into my delay at the airport however, that my annoyance would not change the already out of control situation. So I asked myself, "What's a classy woman to do?"
Granted, the airline did make up for its gaffes by offering us a free stay and a few meal vouchers. To be honest, I could have pressed for more compensation, but I had much more valuable things to do than to argue with someone over the phone to reimburse me $40. However, this experience made me think of many lessons in life that I've learned in order to become what I now see as being, a "classy" woman.
Classy women...
Do not lose control.
You may have seen it before in a television reality show where a person lets their emotions fly off of the handle and engage in things that they may later regret. It's not to say that if someone has wrongfully crossed you, that you cannot stand up for yourself - of course you can! But there's a classy way of confronting someone (with tact and respect) versus not (yelling, throwing a temper tantrum or a drink at someone). Physical fighting in this scenario is of course, a no no.
Communicate Well
A classy woman recognizes the power of words. Good words can elevate, motivate and encourage others to strive for their best, while malicious words can cut and hurt. Being cognizant of what you say and having a certain degree of sensitivity before you talk will make a huge difference in how people act towards you. I find that often times, conflict is the result of miscommunication and misunderstanding. It is important for a classy woman to recognize who her audience is before she decides to talk.
Avoid Pettiness
Going back to my Iceland situation, it's important for a classy woman to pick her battles. There are definitely some things worth fighting for but classy women know how to distinguish between the good fight and the bad fights. Don't ever waste your time on a bad fight (eg: People who are purposely trying to bring you down, or situations where you end up lowering yourself to a level just to make a point). Those bad fights are designed to make you focus on things that don't matter and run you through the muck during the process. The good fights are the ones where there is significant value when you press for something. That $5 that your friend stiffed you? Maybe it's a better idea just to let things go: Don't dwell on it but you should also keep in mind the situation for next time. If the $5 is something that you dwell on, it will cost you in the long run. $400 on the other hand? Well that's another matter.
Work Hard
Rome wasn't built in a day and a classy woman understands this: Classy women put in the hours and the level of effort to be able to achieve what they want in their minds, be it in a job, housework, or spending time with children. Hours spent on an activity is intelligence and experience gained.
Stand up for what's right
The most important thing is for a woman to be able to stick up for her values and for what she believes in. Women play a vital role in maintaining the values in a household: A classy woman recognizes that it is the women in the household who dictate what the family values are, and if she can exemplify and uphold those beliefs, everyone else will follow. This strong level of integrity and what she believes is right in her heart will not only show through her, but also shine through in her family.
That's it for me. Until Next time!
-LP
]]>This is a list of top ten activities that I'd secretly love from my boo when I am on my period.
1. Massage my neck and feet.
2. Compliment me.
3. Draw me a bath.
4. Snuggle with me when I'm moody.
5. Listen to me when I complain and respond with, "You're right, honey".
6. Take care of the baby(ies)/dog/cat.
7. Cook me dinner.
8. To point 7, wash the dishes.
9. Put any dirty socks in the laundry hamper.
10. Watch that movie on Netflix that I really like.
A gal can dream can't she? Never mind: Maybe, I'll just go to the spa instead.
-LP
]]>We promise that this isn't a guilt trip: We wanted to send some sisterly love along your way. As an LP member, we know that you being the strong woman that you are, will be able to achieve it. There is nothing that stands in your way when you set your mind to it.
Coursing through this year, we have asked ourselves - what do we want to achieve this year? Aiming for that next promotion, increasing your client base? Excited for vacationing? Eyeing those cute Ferragamo's on display? As a confession, I did bite the bullet and ended up purchasing a pair recently.
Whatever it is on your to-do list, just remember to pull a Nike and just do it!
Over here at LP, we're sending you positive vibes!
With lots of encouragement and class as always,
]]>
Foods to love…
Foods to avoid…
That's it for me. Until Next time!
-LP
]]>Meditation: Mindfulness is a fantastic way for you to detach yourself from your external environment and to help you remove yourself from immediate stressors. Meditation allows you to slow down your day and reset your mind and body. Learning how to relax can be an effective strategy for pain management.
Peppermint Tea: This is one of the teas that I drink most often. In addition to pain relief, peppermint tea is highly effective for aiding digestion as well as providing calming effects. I personally love drinking mint teas as it clears my sinuses.
Exercise: I know, I know. Exercising on the period seems inconvenient and uncomfortable, but trust me on this one - even some light exercise can make the symptoms go away as your body releases endorphins that allow your brain to reduce the perception of pain.
Warm Bath: If you've tried your luck at exercising and wanted a nice way to pamper yourself afterwards, draw a hot bath. The warm water will help soothe your muscles and the warmness from the water will relieve cramping and tension in your body afterwards.
Essential Oils: Aromatherapy can also help with reducing tension in the body and providing pain relief during your period. More specifically, essential oils such as cypress oil can improve circulation around the body, while lavender and ylang ylang oil can used as a relaxant to reduce tension. Peppermint oil provides a fresh scent that also double as a pain reliever as well.
Have you tried any of these natural remedies while on your period? Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments below!
That's it for me. Until Next time!
-LP
]]>We women are often so busy: We don't get a lot of time to ourselves, so I figured to share some of my tips and tricks to help us get back a little bit of what's the most precious in our lives.
Your first hour
When I first begin my day, I do two major things in addition to my morning routine: I spend the first twenty minutes meditating to clear my mind of all thoughts and emotions that are counterproductive and distracting to me. When I reach a state of transcendence, I then plan out what is most important for me to do that day and I write it down in my planner. Doing so not only makes me more organized, but it also makes me more accountable to achieve those "Things to Do" on my list. I tell myself, if I have a dream, what are the steps that I need to take to achieve it? Sometimes, just doing something makes all of the difference. The meditation aspect of it reminds me that sometimes it is important to experience delayed gratification instead of always looking for an instantaneous response. Plus, it helps manage my period pain too.
Limit social media time
I cannot stress this enough! Before taking on my job running this period company, I often found myself being so distracted by Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. I would easily spend upwards of 3 hours a day going through these sites and looking at and reading things that frankly, do not matter. Anecdotally, when I was still a young sapling and studying for my exams, I forced myself to uninstall these apps and told myself that doing so will save me an extra three hours a day which I could dedicate towards using elsewhere (say for example, exercise or de-stressing). To this day, I do not own a personal Facebook account nor am an active user of Instagram and doing so, has made me an overall happier and more productive person.
Be strategic on where to add value
If you have conflicting priorities, you need to learn how to be honest with yourself and ask: If I were to do this, would I be better off today than I would have been yesterday? It is important to see where you allocate your intelligence to. I believe that everyone in life has the potential to be brilliant: How you achieve intelligence really boils down to where you spend your time and energy. If you are clear about the direction that you are heading, you need to map out what steps are necessary to achieve that goal.
That's it for me. Until Next time!
-LP
]]>