Photo Credit: Ali Becker Photography
Lindsey is a wife, mom of three, and a Director at Beautycounter. She is passionate about healthy living and helping others find safer alternatives for their families to avoid harmful chemicals in their personal care products/homes. She also shares some of her favorite things that help keep her sane through it all. She lives in Mundelein with her family.
- Where are you from and how long have you lived in town? What brought you to the area?
My husband, Dan and I both grew up in Libertyville and attended Libertyville High School. We lived in Chicago for about 7 years but eventually traded in the city life once we had our first child, and came back to the suburbs (like most of us do) to be closer to family. We ended up settling down nearby in the cute family-friendly Tullamore neighborhood in Mundelein.
I have to admit, having the park on one end and the neighborhood pool on the other, sold me from the start. We have been here for three years now and I’ve realized having nice mom neighborhood friends is key! The conversation keeps you sane, the kids keep each other busy, and moms can always relate to the days that are just pure chaos. Not to mention they will never let you have a coffee alone on a rough day (or sometimes something stronger;).
- Do you have child(ren)? Age(s)
We have three kids – two boys age 7 and 5 and a girl, 16 months.
- Tell us about your family and your favorite things to do
With two energetic boys and a busy little toddler, we remain pretty active (and exhausted). We’re always outside when it’s warm hopping to different parks (our favorite is the Castle Park in Vernon Hills), playing frisbee, soccer, swimming, fishing or visiting Mundelein’s splash park. In the winter, we like to ice skate, visit XFactor Trampoline Park near us and play some basketball/soccer at the Park View Fitness so the boys can burn off their energy. The Lakeside Recreation Center is also a fun spot for some bowling or laser tag in town.
As far as food, healthy eating on-the-go is not easy to find but we love to enjoy some healthy organic food and smoothies to support our favorite local spot, Fresh Café. On occasion, we also head to Tina G’s café & Lauretta’s Café in Mundelein when I’m not cooking at home for my family. For date nights, we head to downtown Libertyville to eat at Tavern or Nirvana in Vernon Hills.
- Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor or in the corporate world? Please share!
I work from home as a Director for Beautycounter. My former jobs have been in the corporate world, but this opportunity gives me flexibility and an outlet for myself. Plus, my kids get to see me do something I’m really passionate about. Beautycounter is a company dedicated to creating safer skin/body care and cosmetics with the mission of getting safer products in the hands of everyone. They have a strict ingredient selection process, banning over 1,500 harmful/questionable ingredients from all their products. They go beyond what is legally required (since there is a serious lack of regulation in the personal care industry) to ensure that our products work beautifully without compromising safety.
The reasons that initially led me down a healthier path have evolved over time…it started around seven years ago with turning around my own diet to feel healthier inside, then nourishing my body with good food and cleaner beauty products before I became pregnant. Now, I’m focused on remaining proactive about our health by avoiding harmful chemicals linked to health issues for my entire family. Once I heard more about Beautycounter’s mission, I instantly wanted to be a part of the solution and encourage others, to help make this healthier shift in the beauty industry. I love educating others on safer ingredients while also helping them find better alternatives for their families.
- How do you find balance as a work at home mom?
My balance is a work-in-progress…some days you are high-fiving yourself feeling like you have it all figured out, and the next day you are left unshowered, tired and confused as to why these cute tiny humans want to challenge you daily. Life can feel overwhelming at times but there a few things that always recharge this tired mama:
- Good ‘ole girl’s night in/out – Somehow this always leaves me with my cheeks hurting from laughing so hard after swapping hilarious stories of our kids shenanigans over drinks and catching up with my friends. Laughs are always my best medicine and I cherish time with my girlfriends because let’s be honest, there are some things that your husband will never truly understand.
- Date Night – Ideally, it’s nice to get out of the house for these, but if your kids are sick (which is happening a lot lately) or your sitter cancelled, sometimes a cozy movie night with your significant other is just as nice once the kids are tucked in bed. We leave our phones in the other room so we can hang out without distractions.
- Being present with our kids. We have a tradition of family movie or game night every Friday night. Our boys always look forward to pizza and family night because they know dad will always be home from work in time to join us.
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve gotten from another Mom?
Take help when it’s offered, let the little things go and get a cleaning lady (I recently did this and it has been life-changing for me). Also, I remember reading about this nice idea where you go around the dinner table each night and everyone shares their favorite part(s) of the day. We have done this for a while now and we love it. It reminds us to find the positive in each day, plus the responses from our boys always make us smile. These years are chaotic but precious! The dishes can wait, the laundry will pile up, but the time you give your kids will make them feel special – those will be the moments they remember!
- What is next for you?
I am working on continuing to grow my Beautycounter business sharing more on safer ingredients to help others navigate this virtually unregulated personal care industry. I want to encourage others to be more informed consumers and let them know that these small changes really do add up. As moms, we have the majority of household buying influence, so I encourage everyone to know what you’re putting on your skin, because it matters and we deserve better! I suggest starting with your kids (since their little growing bodies absorb more chemicals) then move on to yourself. Please feel free to reach out through my personal website (www.beautycounter.com/lindseyromito) or my Facebook page, “Inside Scoop to Safer Beauty” for more information.
On a personal level, I’m hoping to tackle some things that have been on my list. That includes planning a fun family trip, enjoying a girl’s trip and celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary in Hawaii this year.