Lucky for me, my Rumi Joon loves her vegetables. I often find her munching on carrots or cucumbers like they’re the most delicious snacks in the world. But I know for a lot of moms, getting vegetables into their kids’ diets can be a real struggle. I recently discovered this awesome recipe for Japanese vegetable pancakes from Smitten Kitchen (one of my all-time fave food blogs). They’re crispy, savory, and oh-so-delicious with a dollop of hot chili sauce. Yum!

Japanese Vegetable Pancakes, via Smitten Kitchen

Pancakes
1/2 small head cabbage, very thinly sliced (1 pound or 5 to 6 cups shreds) which will be easiest on a mandoline if you have one
4 medium carrots, peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
5 lacinato kale leaves, ribs removed, leaves cut into thin ribbons
4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
Canola, safflower or peanut oil for frying

Toss cabbage, carrot, kale, scallions and salt together in a large bowl. Toss mixture with flour so it coats all of the vegetables. Stir in the eggs. Heat a large heavy skillet on medium-high heat. Coat the bottom with oil and heat that too.

Grab a small handful of batter, and arrange in small piles on the skillet to form 3 to 4 pancakes. Press down gently with a spatula to flatten slightly. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the edges brown. Flip the pancakes and cook them again until brown underneath.

Serve with soy sauce, sriracha, or other Asian-inspired dipping sauce.

Hi Beauties!

As a California girl, I’ve always had a great appreciation and respect for the ocean. But while I was living on the beach in Oahu before Rumi Joon was born, that love only increased. In honor of World Ocean’s Day, which was on Saturday, here are a few things you can do to keep our oceans inspiring and beautiful.

Know Your Fish: The U.N. estimates that 80 percent of the world’s fisheries are overexploited or depleted from overfishing. To keep our fish populations happy and healthy, do you research on what types of fish are in season and sustainable. For example, while at the sushi table, you should choose Ahi tuna over Bluefin tuna, a species on the verge of extinction due to overfishing. Also, try to choose wild Alaskan salmon over farmed salmon—farming causes excess pollution and contributes to overfishing.

Reject Excess Plastic: Floating on the water’s surface, plastic looks a whole lot like a delicious snack to many marine animals including birds, sea turtles and marine mammals. But plastic bags and the like can cause these beautiful creatures to choke or starve. Keep them safe by buying products with minimal plastic packaging and choosing reusable cloth bags over plastic grocery bags. Even better? Encourage your city to ban plastic bags at grocery stores. Now that’s change!

Seek Ocean-Friendly Makeup & Jewels: Say no to makeup made with shark-based squalene and jewelry made from coral. Both are linked to overfishing and ecosystem depletion. Instead, look for products with olive-based squalene and choose beachy baubles made from sea glass.

Let’s save the sea!

Love,

Josie

Hi Beauties!

My mom is the most amazing decorator in the world. She has an amazing eye for how to make a home look lived-in, comfy, and yet perfectly stylish. Inspired by her talent, I’m always looking for ways to rearrange my rooms to give them a new boho edge. Here are my current inspirations! Follow me on Pinterest for even more!

With love,

Josie 

Happy Monday, Beauties!

With love and daisy crowns,

Josie

image credit

I’m so excited for my newest launch—my long-wearing, super hydrating Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée. It’s taking the world by storm—it’s already been featured in national magazines like Allure and Glamour, and the beauty editors are loving it! The secret to this bouncy, fun, ultra-gorgeous cheek color? Coconut Water! This amazing formula is 50% Coconut Water, giving your skin all the yummy healthy benefits of the ultra-hydrating miracle beverage. I discovered Coconut Water while I was living on a beach in Oahu before Rumi Joon was born. I guzzled the stuff—and noticed some glowy results on my skin and hair. I’ve been dying to use Coconut Water in my makeup ever since!  Here are a few behind-the-scenes tips for this amazing 14-hour blush:

Application. I like to apply all my makeup with my fingers, including the Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée. Just use one or two fingers, and swirl them in the pot. Then, using a quick, tapping motion, apply the product to the apples of your cheeks and tap upwards towards your temples. If you’re not into using your hands, a synthetic foundation brush also works amazingly with this. Just tap the brush into the gelée and delicately swipe it across your cheeks.

Break the rules! Put it on your lips! Even though I created this product for cheeks, it’s also really nice on the lips. And since the color is sheer and buildable, it’s super forgiving of mistakes. Apply it to clean, dry lips to get the most staying power.

Mix and Match: Because this product has so much Coconut Water in it, it’s super blendable and really easy to blend two colors together to get a unique look. One of my favorite combos is Honeymoon Honey + Poppy Paradise. It gives my skin a blushing, summery look that I’m crazy about right now. Just apply one layer of Honeymoon Honey, and tap some Poppy Paradise on top. Plus, this cheek color lasts 14 hours, so you can put one color on in the morning, and then blend in another color in the evening for a twist on your daytime look. Fun, huh?

Have you tried my new Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée? What are your fave tips? Share!

With love and glowy cheeks,

Josie

Hi Lovelies!

Today, I want to introduce you to some very important members of the JMC family--our wonderful sales team! This beautiful group of people works in our field, across the country from here in Southern California, to Oklahoma, all the way to New York.  They work every day with the customers and staff at Sephora stores to educate and spread the love of JMC products, inspiring our customers every day to make healthier product choices. Oh, and they're pretty amazing makeup artists too! Keep an eye out for one of these shining faces at your local Sephora store--and be sure to pounce on them and pick their brilliant brains on everything JMC!

Lots of love,

Josie

Although we know it’s not summer everywhere yet, it’s sure been balmy here in L.A. We’ve been trying to make the most of the weather—taking impromptu dips in the pool, having barbecues, and taking hikes in the hills of Griffith Park. But all that chlorine and hot sun really takes its toll on skin and hair. Here are our top tips for keeping your skin and hair healthy and hydrated this summer.  

Block Chlorine: Whether you’re a fair-haired maiden or not, chlorine is not so good for your hair. But you don’t need to avoid the pool completely. To keep the cuticle of your hair from absorbing the chlorinated water, get your hair wet with pure water before you jump in the pool. The clean water will plump the hair shaft and keep it from absorbing any of the chlorinated water. Another one of our favorite tips? Massage a dropper-full of Argan Oil into your wet tresses before taking a dip in the swimming pool. It will help you avoid the straw strands of summer.

Block Sun: Do we have to say it? Wear sunscreen, ladies! And make sure it’s physical SPF please. Look for zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as the main sun protectants. And no matter what sunscreen you use, you need to reapply every few hours to make sure you’re getting the best protection.  Of course, we’d prefer you use ours!

Block Dry Skin: In summer, we expose our skin to elements more than in any other season. To keep skin soft and glowing, hydrate every day and exfoliate once a week. We like to do a deep hydrating treatment on legs once a week to keep our gams looking gorgeous. At night, after showering and shaving, apply Argan Oil to legs. Next, warm a quarter-sized dollop of Argan Balm between your palms, and apply a thin layer to legs. Slip on a pair of breathable cotton leggings and go to bed! The next morning your legs will be silky, soft, and glowy!

Nomad-chic. What a great name, right? It perfectly captivates a style that I love so much—the style of the barefoot traveller, collecting beautiful and eclectic things along her journeys.  A bohemian online lifestyle magazine, Nomad-chic covers everything from art to beauty products to design, all with a decidedly boho flair.  Nomad-Chic encourages you to enter their site and, as they so wonderfully put it, “wander where your spirit takes you.” The site also has a small, curated shop that links to pretty dresses, organic elixirs, and unique baubles. Check it out for endless inspiration!

With love,

Josie

Hi New Yorkers!

Tomorrow I'm going to be at the Sephora in Union Square from 3-5 PM! Come visit me and get a chance for a consultation with one of my amazing makeup artists. Plus, we have a ton of exciting bonus gifts if you make a JMC purchase. It should be a really fun day! I hope I see you there!

Lots of love,

Josie