Laney Crowell of The Moment
Portrait by Belathée Photography for Camille Styles
LANEY CROWELL OF THE MOMENT
Sag Harbor, NY
"The philosophy behind The Moment is simple, beauty is natural"
I met Laney last Spring and felt an instant connection. I was drawn to her light and airy aesthetic and encouraging outlook on beauty, health and kindness. Her Instagram, full of real moments, honest truths about her pregnancy and soothing images felt like a breath of fresh air. When I invited Laney into the shop she was glowing, pregnant and had an energy about her. The more I learned about Laney and what she is creating on her site The Moment the more I was reminded of what I aim to create with The Interior and what small changes improve our daily lives, whether its the way we design our spaces or the way we design our lives.
Much like with the homes we live in, the energy, people and thoughts we invite into our daily routines have a huge impact on how we feel. Laney has taken this idea and has focused on what makeup and products we put on our skin, the food we put in our bodies and the thoughts we let take over our minds. Simple changes in your diet, being more mindful of using clean and safe products and most importantly finding a balance and being nice to yourself all tie into feeling beautiful and appreciating the important moments.
The Moment explores beauty and well-being by telling stories. On their site you will find uplifting and easy to digest tutorials, real life experiences shared by inspiring women, healthy and delicious recipes and most of all the aim to redefine beauty in a way that includes and uplifts everyone. We asked Laney what inspired her to start her site, some of her favorite products and smoothie and what we have to look forward to as The Moment continues to grow.
Q & A
Laney Crowell
What led you to start the moment?
The Moment was born out of a want to see beauty talked about differently. I wanted to create a place where food and wellbeing is talked about just as much as beauty products because they all work together to bring beauty into our lives.
Can you tell me a bit about the philosophy behind The Moment?
The philosophy behind The Moment is simple, beauty is natural. We are all beautiful and perfect beings. It’s society that tells us that we’re not. Through that storytelling we start to think that we should be doing unnatural things, like dieting, eating overly-processed foods, putting chemical laden products on our skin.
We think beauty should be kind.
The Moment is about redefining beauty. I love this concept because so much can be improved in terms of the products we use and how beauty is perceived. What things are important for us all to redefine beauty and have a positive relationship with ourselves?
First and foremost, it’s about the relationship we have with ourselves. I recently had a baby and it’s brought to light a lot of things for me. One of which is how I talk to myself. I say things to myself that I are unkind, and that are untrue, but that I’ve been taught to say to myself through years of looking at marketing images and photoshopped pictures. I would never think or let my daughter say those things to herself. And as a baby, she has no concept of those things. She looks at her belly, her thigh rolls, and has no judgement. I hope for all of us, that we can relearn that self-love.
When I started The Interior, I kept coming back to the idea of connecting how your surroundings influence the way you feel. Interior design, much like beauty has such a focus on aesthetics but for me it’s less about design in some cases and more about finding a sense of comfort and ease at home. Does the design of your home do this for you?
I’m a very visual person. At times, this has made be think and act superficially. I think I’ve graduated from that to a place of comfort and ease, like you. I want my home to make me feel good so I can recharge and relax. Instead of decorating with trendy pieces that might be appealing, I like things that are functional and soft to my senses.
Throughout your pregnancy and now with Isabella, you’ve talked about listening to your body’s needs and being kind to yourself. What rituals have been most helpful with this?
Since being pregnant and having a baby, my definition of ritual has changed immensely. I used to have time, and now I rarely have even a couple minutes to myself. So, I find little moments in the shower or bath, or in the early hours of the morning where I can meditate for 5 minutes. Or if I can’t find 5 minutes, I take a few seconds to breath, re-center myself, and say my mantra:
“I am a being of love and I radiate light.”
It’s hard not to ask. What is your favorite smoothie concoction lately?
Hum, that’s a hard one. The last couple of days I’ve struggled with my smoothies. One that is always a crowd pleaser is my coconut chocolate smoothie. I take coconut water, coconut oil, flaked coconut, and coconut cream and add coconut protein powder and cocao. It tastes like a milk shake.
Any simple tips for feeling good?
Remove judgement. Any time you feel yourself judging yourself or someone else, let it go. Think a good thought and move on.
What are a few of your favorite beauty and wellness brands right now?
They are super hydrating and all natural.
Odiaté Super Dry Serum.
This is saving my skin right now.
I add this CBD oil to my smoothie to help with stress and it really works.
This is one of the OG clean beauty products I bought and I keep buying it over and over again. It’s so so so hydrating and calming.
We spoke briefly about a potential space where you can bring your site to life. What would that look like?
I see a brightly lit space with a super curated selection of natural beauty products. In a corner is a smoothie bar and matcha on tap. We’ll only have 1 smoothie a day though, which will be whatever I’m in the mood for.
It sounds heavenly... What other inspiring things can we see in the future from you and The Moment?
To be honest, I’m just happy to have found the time to answer these questions! That said, my one goal for The Moment is to become more transparent and personal. I think the more authentic we all are, the more success we’ll have. It’s our job to speak our truth and I want to bring more of that to The Moment this year.
We're so happy you took the time to answer our questions and thank you for sharing your story with us! It's been inspiring, motivating and encouraging following your journey and what you're creating every day with The Moment.
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