An Elevated Body Care Ritual For Mom (Win!)

This year, for Mother’s Day, the co-founder mamas of MIFA and Co. have developed a gift guide featuring “An Elevated Body Care Ritual,” with the brand’s multi-use, minimalist body care sets. We chatted with one of the bestie brand-makers, Michelle Lui, to learn more. —Noa Nichol

As the co-founder of MIFA and Co., could you share a bit about the inspiration behind your 2024 Mother’s Day Gift Guide, particularly focusing on the concept of “An Elevated Body Care Ritual” with your minimalist body care sets?

As moms we are often juggling multiple things, leaving little time for ourselves. Each of our curated sets offers a ritual so that any minimalist can enjoy a mini spa at-home escape. For example, whether it’s a two minute or 10 minute shower, spray our Eucalyptus Mood Mist, turn on the water, take a few deep breaths, then lather up with our Eucalyptus Coco Body Wash. You instantly have a steamy spa-at-home shower that nourishes your body from head-to-toe.

Developing multi-use, minimalist body care sets seems like a unique approach. What motivated your team to create products with this versatility, and what benefits do you believe they offer to consumers?

As best friends and mamas, we know how challenging it can be to maintain balance, which is why self-care has always played such an important role in what we do. I’m a mom of two boys and Fatemah has two girls. We both worked in corporate for more than 10 years, so we know first-hand how stress can impact your skin and overall health. With the ebbs and flows of everyday life, we were inspired to take a holistic approach to create a collection that was made to simplify your routine and reduce the number of products you need to use.

Running a business can be demanding. How do you balance the responsibilities of entrepreneurship with your role as a mother? Are there any strategies or practices that have been particularly helpful for you?

Is there ever real “balance”? I know everyone has their own definition. There have been some perks to being an entrepreneur because we created a business model that allows us flexibility to be with our families, like being able to work from anywhere including being away for a month overseas. Is it easy? Of course not. We have immense support from our family and I think it’s important to build a business that also supports your family life, otherwise it can be very tough. Sometimes it’s hard when we have events because they aren’t during the day. Even though the brand is important to us, we prioritize our families first. I am typically pretty firm with not working in the evenings or weekends unless there’s a big deadline or project in the works. It’s important to create boundaries, and people will respect them. I would have had a different response in my pre-children/corporate days when I was a full-on workaholic.

Mother’s Day is approaching. How do you plan to celebrate this special day, both personally and within your business? Are there any traditions or activities that you look forward to each year?

Through MIFA we will be featuring a few of our mama figures in our community and we have partnered with a couple of our favourite local brands for a very special Mother’s Day giveaway. Mother’s Day is simple around the home. Aside from a big family gathering to celebrate my mother and mother-in-law, I always look forward to the little things, like breakfast from my littles (with the help of dad) and the home-made gifts and cards. They are so special. This year I get Mother’s Day tea at school with my first grader (Emi) and it’s one of those things that you dream about when you become a mom. Definitely an ugly cry type of event, if you know what I mean.

Could you share a glimpse into your personal daily self-care routine? How do you prioritize self-care amidst the busyness of running a business and being a parent? What advice would you give to other mom entrepreneurs who are juggling the demands of family life and business ownership, especially those who might be struggling to find balance?

My daily routine very simple as I’m not a 10-step skin-care girlie. Our collection is very much a reflection of my lifestyle. In the mornings, I love to start with deep breathing exercises while still in bed and then I get into my three-step skin-care ritual before starting my day, plus a big glass of warm water before I have anything. I love running a diffuser or spritzing our Mood Mist at my desk side to enjoy some aromatherapy (spa at your desk anyone?). By the time we get to the evening, I always say make time for yourself even if that moment is your five minutes in the shower. We incorporated aromatherapeutic benefits in our collection to encourage deep breaths with every step. Sometimes it’s those little moments that you need to reset. I always tell my mom friends to ask for help and enable others to help. As moms, sometimes we feel like we have to take on the world, and it’s OK to let someone else do it (like dad or a friend) even though they may not do things exactly how you would. It’s hard to not feel mom guilt and what I say to that is book that appointment for you! Take yourself to coffee! Go on that girls trip! Because you know what? they’ll be OK.

Reflecting on your journey as a co-founder and mother, what has been the most rewarding aspect of building MIFA and Co. while also nurturing your family?

Wow, this is hard one. But I think one of the rewarding things that’s come out of our MIFA journey so far has been meeting so many amazing people in our community, from partners and brand founders to customers and more. It has been a privilege to create all these beautiful connections. Some have become lifelong friends, and we are so grateful.

Win! A $150 MIFA and Co. Gift Card!

Congrats Gretchen S. of Vancouver, BC, who will receive a $150 MIFA and Co. gift card! Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadailymedia. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.