Kerry Washington is one of those celebs who makes you feel like you two could be friends. You would have a girls’ night in and wear face masks and watch Shonda Rhimes shows on repeat. So when I got a chance to chat with her over Zoom, I jumped at it. Washington has incredible skin and it glows even through my 7-year-old MacBook. She gave me the rundown on her skincare routine, including a “game-changing” eye cream, as well as her Thanksgiving TikTok plans. You’re going to want to keep reading.

Washington is a Neutrogena spokesperson but she’s way more than just a pretty face. She’s incredibly knowledgeable about the formulas and what works for her specific skin and why. We’re here to talk about the new Rapid Firming Collection, which she adds to her favorites from the hydrating HydroBoost line. The actor admits that she’s doing more to her skin since the pandemic started.

“I don’t know I would have done all that before the pandemic,” she says. “I was in such a rush to go to bed and wake up for the next day but I started really trying to implement some of that stuff, the multi-step approach, to be more generous with myself and I find it to be very effective. And it literally takes less than five minutes to take each of those steps.”

It just so happens that we’re in luck: Practically every item in Washington’s skincare routine is on sale at Amazon for Black Friday, including the firming eye cream she swears by.

Source: Instagram

Washington starts her morning with the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Lightweight Hydrating Facial Cleansing Gel ($7.49 at Amazon). If she worked out first, she’ll use a Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Face Wipe (on sale for $8.93 at Amazon) first. Then, she adds the Neutrogena Rapid Firming Collagen Triple Lift Face Serum (on sale for $12.84 at Amazon), which is a lightweight collagen serum to help keep skin firm and bouncy. Last comes sunscreen, because there’s nothing more important for your skin.

One of the new products Washington uses both morning and night is the Neutrogena Rapid Firming Peptide Multi Action Eye Cream (on sale for $20.30 at Amazon), which she calls a “game-changer,” saying: “When I do it, morning and night, I tend to not need concealer. I love that addition to the routine.”

Neutrogena.

Along with the eye cream, Washington loves the new Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Pro+ .5% Power Serum ($42.99 at Ulta). “It’s a really great starter retinol,” she says. “It’s very gentle and it’s really effective. not just for fine lines but for darker spots.”

She plans to show her skincare routine with the new products on TikTok — well, maybe. If she has time. When I tell her I find it hard to keep up with all the platforms and all the trends, she tells me she tries not to buy into that. “I think it’s hard, I think we’re all under that pressure,” she says. “I try to let it inspire me to try new things rather than make me feel pressured to try new things. I’m thinking about doing a Thanksgiving turkey TikTok with my dad. He’s always good for content. I try to rope people in with me to make it more fun.”

Whichever one she decides to do, we’ll definitely be watching.

In southern Provence, especially this time of year, you might run across these itsy-bitsy figurines, and you might not know what they are. Upon questioning the store/market owner, you are told they are Santons. Well, you still don’t know what they are so let’s try to find out and get a better understanding of these colorful figurines.

What Are Santons?

Asanton, or santous, or santouos, or “little saints” are petit hand-painted figurines made out of terracotta (clay) from Marseille or Aubagne in the Provence region of Southeastern France.

Why Do These Little Figurines Have Such a Big History?

Some believe that the original santons arose from the first living nativity scene said to be created in 1223 by St Francis. For sure we do know that the santons of today were created by the French people during the French Revolution in the 18th century as a counterrevolutionary movement.

During the beginning of the French revolutuion, the government closed down all churches and banned the display of nativity scenes in homes. Consequently, in privacy, commoners started making their own small figurines out of anything they had at hand – cloth pieces, paper mache and even dried bread. At great risk, these dedicated people still continued to display their beloved santons in their homes.

In Marseille, Jean-Louis Lagnel started his own kind of revolution in 1797 by molding small figures out of clay. Lagnel’s goal was to make the santons affordable for the ordinary person. By using clay instead of wood carvings, Lagnel was able to keep the price down. Unfortunately, Lagnel’s santons were not fired as the santons are today and broke easily.

What and Who Does a Santon Grouping Depict?

Everyday life has always been represented in a santon set. You will find traditional colorful tradesmen and women represented in their work skills in their villages. Bakers, tailors, milkmaids, gardeners, vegetable sellers, chestnut sellers, candlestick makers and children are all common figures.

Animals such as dogs, ducks, cows, geese, sheep, donkeys, cats and chickens just to mention a few appear everywhere. Structural buildings, barns, bridges or anything that might be needed to form a village will also be displayed.

How Are Santons Made?

To begin with, the making of a santon is indeed a labor of love and patience. An artist, called a “Santonnier” will go to great trouble to bring his newly made figure to life. It is not uncommon to find them spending hours searching for twigs or plants to glue to their creations.

Once the just right “accessory” is found, he will “santonnifie” the santon, in other words, bring the santon to life. Many Santonniers work in family business, passing the trade down from generation to generation.

The Santonnier starts his creation by carving the original figure from clay. Once carved, a two-piece plaster cast is made and several more figures are made although never mass produced. Later, the drying process is finished in a kiln and the hand painting process begins.

The traditional bright colors of Provence are always present – yellow, green, red and blue. Santons will come in many sizes but mostly between two to 15 cm in height.

Where to Find These Treasured Collectables?

I found my prized set at a flea marketin a Provencal town called L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Also, during the months of November and December in southern France, there are several holiday regional fairs and exhibitions selling santons, and of course in Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, where they originated.

Marseille even holds a Santon festival, which has been going on since 1803. It’s called the “Foire aux Santons (Santon Fair). Of course, you will also find retail stores specializing in nothing but santons.

Do you have a prized santon set? If so, where did you get yours? What does your set depict?

Kerry Washington is one of those celebs who makes you feel like you two could be friends. You would have a girls’ night in and wear face masks and watch Shonda Rhimes shows on repeat. So when I got a chance to chat with her over Zoom, I jumped at it. Washington has incredible skin and it glows even through my 7-year-old MacBook. She gave me the rundown on her skincare routine, including a “game-changing” eye cream, as well as her Thanksgiving TikTok plans. You’re going to want to keep reading.

Washington is a Neutrogena spokesperson but she’s way more than just a pretty face. She’s incredibly knowledgeable about the formulas and what works for her specific skin and why. We’re here to talk about the new Rapid Firming Collection, which she adds to her favorites from the hydrating HydroBoost line. The actor admits that she’s doing more to her skin since the pandemic started.

“I don’t know I would have done all that before the pandemic,” she says. “I was in such a rush to go to bed and wake up for the next day but I started really trying to implement some of that stuff, the multi-step approach, to be more generous with myself and I find it to be very effective. And it literally takes less than five minutes to take each of those steps.”

It just so happens that we’re in luck: Practically every item in Washington’s skincare routine is on sale at Amazon for Black Friday, including the firming eye cream she swears by.

Source: Instagram

Washington starts her morning with the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Lightweight Hydrating Facial Cleansing Gel ($7.49 at Amazon). If she worked out first, she’ll use a Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Face Wipe (on sale for $8.93 at Amazon) first. Then, she adds the Neutrogena Rapid Firming Collagen Triple Lift Face Serum (on sale for $12.84 at Amazon), which is a lightweight collagen serum to help keep skin firm and bouncy. Last comes sunscreen, because there’s nothing more important for your skin.

One of the new products Washington uses both morning and night is the Neutrogena Rapid Firming Peptide Multi Action Eye Cream (on sale for $20.30 at Amazon), which she calls a “game-changer,” saying: “When I do it, morning and night, I tend to not need concealer. I love that addition to the routine.”

Neutrogena.

Along with the eye cream, Washington loves the new Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Pro+ .5% Power Serum ($42.99 at Ulta). “It’s a really great starter retinol,” she says. “It’s very gentle and it’s really effective. not just for fine lines but for darker spots.”

She plans to show her skincare routine with the new products on TikTok — well, maybe. If she has time. When I tell her I find it hard to keep up with all the platforms and all the trends, she tells me she tries not to buy into that. “I think it’s hard, I think we’re all under that pressure,” she says. “I try to let it inspire me to try new things rather than make me feel pressured to try new things. I’m thinking about doing a Thanksgiving turkey TikTok with my dad. He’s always good for content. I try to rope people in with me to make it more fun.”

Whichever one she decides to do, we’ll definitely be watching.

Kerry Washington is one of those celebs who makes you feel like you two could be friends. You would have a girls’ night in and wear face masks and watch Shonda Rhimes shows on repeat. So when I got a chance to chat with her over Zoom, I jumped at it. Washington has incredible skin and it glows even through my 7-year-old MacBook. She gave me the rundown on her skincare routine, including a “game-changing” eye cream, as well as her Thanksgiving TikTok plans. You’re going to want to keep reading.

Washington is a Neutrogena spokesperson but she’s way more than just a pretty face. She’s incredibly knowledgeable about the formulas and what works for her specific skin and why. We’re here to talk about the new Rapid Firming Collection, which she adds to her favorites from the hydrating HydroBoost line. The actor admits that she’s doing more to her skin since the pandemic started.

“I don’t know I would have done all that before the pandemic,” she says. “I was in such a rush to go to bed and wake up for the next day but I started really trying to implement some of that stuff, the multi-step approach, to be more generous with myself and I find it to be very effective. And it literally takes less than five minutes to take each of those steps.”

It just so happens that we’re in luck: Practically every item in Washington’s skincare routine is on sale at Amazon for Black Friday, including the firming eye cream she swears by.

Source: Instagram

Washington starts her morning with the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Lightweight Hydrating Facial Cleansing Gel ($7.49 at Amazon). If she worked out first, she’ll use a Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Face Wipe (on sale for $8.93 at Amazon) first. Then, she adds the Neutrogena Rapid Firming Collagen Triple Lift Face Serum (on sale for $12.84 at Amazon), which is a lightweight collagen serum to help keep skin firm and bouncy. Last comes sunscreen, because there’s nothing more important for your skin.

One of the new products Washington uses both morning and night is the Neutrogena Rapid Firming Peptide Multi Action Eye Cream (on sale for $20.30 at Amazon), which she calls a “game-changer,” saying: “When I do it, morning and night, I tend to not need concealer. I love that addition to the routine.”

Neutrogena.

Along with the eye cream, Washington loves the new Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Pro+ .5% Power Serum ($42.99 at Ulta). “It’s a really great starter retinol,” she says. “It’s very gentle and it’s really effective. not just for fine lines but for darker spots.”

She plans to show her skincare routine with the new products on TikTok — well, maybe. If she has time. When I tell her I find it hard to keep up with all the platforms and all the trends, she tells me she tries not to buy into that. “I think it’s hard, I think we’re all under that pressure,” she says. “I try to let it inspire me to try new things rather than make me feel pressured to try new things. I’m thinking about doing a Thanksgiving turkey TikTok with my dad. He’s always good for content. I try to rope people in with me to make it more fun.”

Whichever one she decides to do, we’ll definitely be watching.

How balanced is your Wellness Wheel? Are you missing a spoke?

Some time ago I introduced the concept of creating a personal Vitality Portfolio® just like you would a financial portfolio. This involves creating a vitality plan, balancing vitality assets (wellness, core and functional), and making regular deposits.

It’s important to ensure that each dimension of wellness carries its share of the load to support lifelong vitality. Let’s start by defining the 6 dimensions of wellness.

• Physical – function, lifestyle habits, health management
• Social – healthy relationships, connection with a community
• Emotional – healthy expression of feelings, positive attitude, resilience
• Intellectual – lifelong learning, supporting cognitive health
• Spiritual – meaning and purpose, something greater than self
• Vocational – Occupation, hobbies, purposeful activities.

Now think of each dimension as a spoke on a wheel and consider what a ‘perfect’ Wellness Wheel would look like. We live in real life though, so perfect is rarely an option! Drawing a personal Wellness Wheel offers a clear snapshot of which dimensions are carrying the load and which ones need to step up!

Drawing Your Wellness Wheel

First you need a sense of what deposits you’re currently making into each dimension. Consider using a worksheet – it can be as simple as writing Physical Wellness at the top of a page and then listing the things you’re currently doing to support physical well-being.

Repeat with each dimension, and you’ll quickly see that some worksheets have lots of items while others have almost nothing.

The dimensions are interrelated so you may include certain wellness deposits in multiple worksheets. There’s nothing perfect about it – the worksheets just help you decide which spokes are bigger, smaller or simply missing all together.

Starting with an empty wheel and a pencil, draw your Wellness Wheel.

Wheels Change

Your Wellness Wheel continually evolves and changes depending on what’s going on in your life. Three months ago, my physical and vocational spokes dominated as I was rehearsing three nights a week for a dance performance and on horseback almost every day.

Drawing my wheel today shows that my intellectual and vocational spokes are carrying most of the load as I work on launching a new product.

Unfortunately, since I’m spending so much time on the computer, my physical spoke is pretty small and pathetic – which is really embarrassing because I know how important it is! Still, just drawing my wheel inspired me to get back to dance class twice a week!

I’d also like to share that my emotional spoke is really big, too, because my first grandbaby just arrived, and I’m filled with gratitude, connection and love!

What About You?

What impacts your life balance? Does it change with the seasons or does something else directly impact the deposits you make into each wellness spoke?

Consider drawing your wheel several times a year just to see if there’s a spoke that consistently lags behind. Think about the possible reasons why it doesn’t receive much – or give much – and what you could do to build it up.

Real Life

Finally, wellness doesn’t represent the absence of challenges! Physical wellness isn’t about physical perfection, it’s about physical competence; the ability to maximize physical abilities regardless of challenges.

For example, Kevin Connolly was born with no legs, but as a young man, traveled the world by himself on a skateboard, and then wrote a book about it, titled, Double Take! You could say he has a low level of physical wellness because he’s missing legs, but he has a very high level of Physical Competence that allows him to do the most with what he has!

The same applies to emotional wellness. It’s not about being happy all the time. It’s about cultivating Emotional Agility – the ability to navigate life’s ups and downs.

Social wellness isn’t about being with people all the time. You can be lonelier in a room full of people than when you are alone. It’s about building true Social Connections that bring camaraderie and feelings of belonging.

Intellectual wellness isn’t about IQ or level of education. It’s about Intellectual Curiosity – the willingness to continue learning and growing through your full lifespan.

Spiritual wellness isn’t necessarily about being religious. It’s about acknowledging something greater than yourself – religion, nature or whatever supports your individual sense of Spiritual Connection.

And lastly, vocational wellness isn’t about a particular job or hobby. It’s about Engagement in something that feels meaningful and purposeful. It’s about recognizing abilities and giving, as well as receiving.

To support lifelong vitality, consciously build each spoke on your Wellness Wheel. Visit www.kayvannorman.com to download the FREE Vitality Portfolio® Starter Tool-kit with definitions of the dimensions of wellness, Wellness Wheel templates and worksheets.

How well-balanced is your Wellness Wheel? What aspect of your life needs to be more in equilibrium? Please share your thoughts below.