Paulina Colton of Paulina Comes Clean
Meet Paulina! This incredible woman is one of the talented writers on the team here at Stand Unshaken! She is a consultant for Beautycounter and is passionate about advocating for safer personal care products and an all-around healthy lifestyle. Learn more about her story, her work and what inspires her!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
Summing oneself up into a few sentences seems daunting, but here we go! I was born in Texas, raised in Iowa, & now live in Kansas City. You could say I am a Midwest girl at heart, but I definitely love to travel beyond the plains. A few of my passions include sharing healthy living, educating others on the clean beauty industry, recipe developing, creating community wherever I go, & mid-century modern anything. I met my husband, Ben, playing intermural volleyball at Iowa State University & we've been married since 2016. You could say it was love at first *spike!* Jesus is the #1 reason I am introducing myself here today & all glory be to Christ for that! I can't wait to connect with you, hear your story, & encourage one another!
What do you do for work?
For work, although it hardly feels like work, I am an advocate & educator for safer personal care products with a company called Beautycounter. One of my favorite things about my work is the knowledge I've gained on the importance of the ingredients we are putting on our skin every day. It's transformed nearly every other aspect of my life since swapping out my first concealer pen in 2016. I work out of my home which allows me the freedom & flexibility to fix my own schedule & that looks very different every day. One thing I love about Kansas City is our coffee shop culture & being a stay at home entrepreneur allows me to experience that culture whenever I'd like! Many Instagram friends have turned into real-life friends over a cup of coffee or fresh juice! I am so thankful for the work I've been given & the gifts I am able to share with others.
What inspires you to create?
Knowing that I am making just a small difference in the lives of others is all the payoff I need to keep going! If my work causes you to think twice or re-evaluate something you've done previously to create a healthier lifestyle, then it's a job well done. Small impact is still impact.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned as an entrepreneur?
Patience. If you pray for patience, it will surely be tested! I am the type of person who wants to do something & do it NOW. Not only now, but also WELL. Being an entrepreneur stretches you in so many ways. It fine-tunes your time management skills, gives you a sense of confidence you didn't know was inside you, & challenges you to serve those in your sphere of influence.
Favorite bible verse/quote?
Whenever I need encouragement, feel alone, or doubt God's love for me, I turn to Psalm 23. I read the entire psalm out loud & it quiets my soul. I particularly love the last verse in the chapter that reads, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." I pray this is an encouragement to you, as it is for me, even as you read this today.
Favorite companies to support and shop from?
Over the past few years, I have switched my focus to supporting local, small & sustainable companies. My current favorites include Everlane for denim & cashmere, ABLE for leather goods, Scout of Marion for home goods & gifts, House of Verna for vintage & curated finds, & Val Marie Paper for prayer journals & resources.
What do you do when you are lacking motivation?
Being your own boss can be great, but also present challenges. Motivation can be difficult when you'd rather cozy up with a blanket & binge-watch your favorite series. To combat this, I put on "real" clothes, a little makeup, & reach out to my accountability gals to connect & encourage. There's nothing better than diving into a community of friends who are experiencing similar things. Until that video chat or phone call with them, podcasts are a great place to look to re-focus & inspire. One that always gets me energized is How I Built This.
If you had to move to another country for the rest of your life, which one would you pick and why?
This is SO HARD! I've had the privilege to travel to many different countries & even live abroad for 4 months in Rome, Italy. But if I HAVE to choose just one country, I'd choose Austria. My heritage runs deep with my grandparents being first-generation immigrants & I still have close family who live there. My husband & I traveled to Austria this fall &, even though I've been there several times, it was just as captivating as the first time. I think Ben loved it just as much or maybe more! The Alps are surreal, food is delicious, hiking is prime, & culture is rich. I'd also love to further my German language skills, & I'm sure this would be the perfect opportunity to do so!
Who are some people that you admire in your industry?
If we are talking about directly the clean beauty movement, then definitely Beautycounter's SVP of Social Mission, Lindsay Dahl. She's been a leader in educating & advocating to get more health-protective laws in place for our personal care products with our congress members & lawmakers in Washington DC. I had the opportunity to talk & work with her first-hand while advocating for the state of Kansas on Capitol Hill in 2018. She's such a confident & smart woman who's also a Midwest girl herself! Another woman I admire greatly is my mentor, Gregg Anne Lowe. She's been with me since day one, guiding, encouraging, & pushing me to go just a little further than I thought possible. & lastly, although this person is not in the industry per se, is my husband, Ben. He's my ultimate cheerleader who supports me in whatever my heart desires & gives me the best hugs on days when it's not all merry & bright. We all need those people who believe in us more than we do, right?!
Best piece of advice that you’ve been given?
Don't wait to start something until you're "ready." Honestly, I am still learning this with all that I do today. I know fear can be paralyzing, but not doing what you've been designed to do is even scarier! So, if you've had a dream or desire to get out there & do something, try it! Failure teaches us so much & if we never try, we won't have the opportunity to learn & grow.