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Mother Essentials: Tara Foley

Written by Erin Feher

Tara Foley may have made her name in non-toxic beauty—she launched Follain, a clean skincare emporium, in 2013, and now oversees six bustling locations across the country—but her passion for health and wellness is unsurprisingly holistic. From the most effective water and air filtration systems to the best non-toxic dental floss, Foley has applied the same stringent standards to the items she stocks in her everyday life as she does to the beauty products on Follain’s shelves. And now that the busy CEO has two kids of her own—Henry, 2, and Annabel, 6 months—we knew she would be the ultimate resource for non-toxic household goods and kids’ gear. And we were right! Check out Tara’s 20 current Mother Essentials below to get a taste.

Beam CBD Tincture. “This one is proven 100% THC-free which is important to me because I’m still nursing. I use it to help with anxiety and sleep. And love the mint flavor.” Beam CBD Tincture, $119.95, Beam.

Converse High-Tops. “I wear sneakers almost all day, every day, so that I can be as mobile as possible as I work in our stores, chase after kids, etc. I find the best, most interesting styles on Goat!” Converse High Tops, prices vary, Goat.

RMS Un-Coverup and Bronzer. “I rarely leave the house without applying these two makeup products. As a busy tired mom, I find they immediately help me look more awake, and I’m happy knowing they’re an extension of my skincare routine, with their clean ingredients and hydrating coconut oil base.” RMS Beauty ‘Un’ Cover-Up Concealer, $36, Follain; RMS Beauty Buriti Bronzer, $28, Follain.

Jade Gua Sha Stone. “I’m convinced gua sha massage helps my skin look brighter and firmer.” Rosenice Aventurine Gua Sha Scraping Massage Tool, $8.50, Amazon.

Follain Lip Balm. “This comes in the cutest little chubby stick and I love popping it out of my pocket. When people ask what it is, I use it as an opportunity to share how important clean lip products are—you end up EATING these!” Follain Lip Balm, $9, Follain.

Dental Lace. “There’s been a ton of research coming out recently about the harmful effects of PFSAs, which are toxic chemicals, in conventional dental floss. Out of all the clean options I’ve tried, this one glides the easiest, and I like that it’s in a cute little refillable glass container.” Dental Lace Silk Dental Floss, $13.99, Amazon.

Plants, plants, plants. “I like the selection of plants and pots at the Sill a lot. I can’t have enough ZZ plants and figs around my house and office–in sage green pots or baskets. They’re calming and make me so happy!”

Pai Rosehip Oil. “This powerful face oil is super brightening and nourishing and still absorbs very fast. It works to brighten, tighten and moisturize most skin types and is a great starter face oil for those who haven’t tried one before.” Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil, $44, Follain.

Tata Harper Redefining Body Balm. “I’m convinced that this incredibly hydrating body balm saved me from stretch marks when pregnant! And I love the rich jasmine scent—I still use this instead of perfume.” Tata Harper Redefining Body Balm, $125, Follain.

Follain Spray Body Oil. “Super light and fast-absorbing—perfect for busy mom life—and with the best light citrusy scent. Obviously the moisturizer you use all over your body should be as clean as possible, and this one is.” Follain Instant Glow Body Oil, $26, Follain.

Follain Refillable Hand and Body Soap. “With kids I wash my hands constantly. This soap helps me ensure I’m using the safest hand soap ingredients possible and also considering the environment by refilling the beautiful bottle!” Follain Refillable Everything Soap, $24, Follain.

Comotomo Baby Bottles. “Silicone is so much safer than plastic and so much lighter than glass. These are the only ones my kids will use!” Comotomo Baby Bottles, $12.99, Amazon.

Baby Tula Carrier. “As someone who likes to ‘wear’ and snuggle my baby as much as possible when I’m home with her, I need a carrier that is comfortable and comes in good designs. Love this one so much!” Baby Tula Explore Baby Carrier, $179, Amazon.

S’well Water Bottle. “I have an XL-size water bottle on me at all times. Drinking enough water has such a direct impact on my skin and overall wellbeing.” S’well Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle, $45, Amazon.

Air Purifiers. “The more I learn about air quality indoors, the more I do to try to purify the air around me! I have Blueair purifiers in our kids’ bedrooms at home and am getting little Moso bags for everywhere else!” Blueair Blue Pure 411 Air Purifier, $109, Amazon; Moso Natural Air Purifying Bags, $26.95 (3-pack), Amazon.

Mushroom Matcha. “I like most that this is USDA organic—something that few other matchas and adaptogen blends can boast. And that it combines the energizing, uplifting benefits of my favorite caffeine source, matcha, with de-stressing adaptogens.” Four Sigmatic Mushroom Matcha, $26.57, Amazon.

Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator. “My skin is extra dry when pregnant and nursing. I spritz this refreshing mist throughout the day whenever my skin needs a hydration boost or when I’m traveling. The super fine mist and sweet light scent are amazing.” Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator,$35, Follain.

Berkey Water Filter. “Also on the water front, I recently learned on the EWG just how contaminated it can be, so whenever I’m home I use filtered water for myself and my family. This is especially important to me as I begin adding formula into my daughters’ routine.” Crown Berkey Water Filter System, $453, Amazon.

Naturopathica Manuka Honey Cleansing Balm. “Potentially the product I look forward to most at the end of the day every day! It removes makeup and cleanses skin without drying it at all. The sweet smelling balm turns into a milk and makes me want to give myself a little face massage every time I use it.” Naturopathica Manuka Honey Cleansing Balm, $62, Follain.

Rahua Dry Shampoo. “I definitely don’t shampoo daily; this product really helps my hair get through the week. It instantly adds volume and helps extend a blowout, uses the cleanest ingredients and smells sweet!” Rahua Voluminous Dry Shampoo, $32, Follian.

For more on Tara and Follain, check out her personal Instagram feed and Follain’s feed, as well. And for more Mother Essentials, peep our past columns with artist Kindah Khalidy, jewelry designers Lauren Godfrey and Maggie Gavigan Smith, Oakland retail queen Sherri McMullen, fashion designer Anna Chiu-Chiles, Shahidah Zareef of Bossmom NationJoanne EncarnacionLaTonya YvetteMorgan Walker of Make.doJeanne Chan of Harlow & Grey, and more.

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