MetroMom Kim Walls
 Mother of two, creative developer of Epicuren Baby, founder of Safe by Design and a tireless advocate of her passions - from nurturing her young family to helping others embrace a more responsible, environmentally sensitive lifestyle

MM - What is your most memorable moment of becoming a mom?

Wow. I read this question and surprised myself. I would love to say something sweet and smooshy but that wouldn’t be the truth. My most memorable moment was the experience of my then 2 year old having a febrile seizure. His temperature skyrocketed and his body just freaked out. I had taken CPR and first aid classes, so I could easily handle the instruction from the 911 operator while we waited for the ambulance. I’ve never been so scared in all my life and ever since I have strongly advocated for every parent to take first aid and CPR courses.

MM - What is a typical day in your life?

My day actually starts the night before. Every night I make a list of the things I want to accomplish the next day. Typically I wake up between 3 and 4 in the morning make coffee and work like a mad woman to knock out my list until my youngest wakes up between 6:15 and 7:30am. Then make lunches, get the kids ready for school and take the little one to preschool. My husband takes the big kid to Kindergarten. Then, I either go to meetings or go back to my home office to continue the mad dash to check off items on that list. At 1:30 I go back to pick up our little one and spend some time with the friends that have become very dear to me over the past four years that our family has been with our co-op. Sometimes after school I can squeeze another hour or so of work while Little One plays quietly – he’s pretty tuckered out after a full day of play. At 2:40 we hop back in the car to pick up the Big Kid by 3:00. After school we sometimes go to a play date and sometimes we go home and if the kids are engaged with Legos or something, I can shoot off a few emails. We make dinner around 5:30 – they usually help. Around 7 we go upstairs to get ready for bed, read stories and crash -I usually fall asleep with them. Then it starts all over.

MM - How do you balance work and motherhood?

The balance between work and motherhood is a challenge, no doubt. I constantly look for ways to be a good mother and strong worker at the same time. We are women! We multi-task! I use my I-phone and organization to multi-task to the nth degree. The biggest tool I have is actually my friends and co-workers. I always take time to be with my friends. We support each other emotionally and I believe that you (I) can do anything when coming from an emotionally balanced place. All I can do is my best and I do what I can to succeed at both working and mothering all the time, every day, and every night. I give 100%. For the times when I’m not giving my kids all the attention they want, I know that at least they see me working really hard to make my dreams a reality. I think it is important to set an example to children on what it means to work hard and make sacrifices sometimes. But my first priority is motherhood - when my kids are feeling particularly vulnerable (e.g., scared, ill) I stop what I’m doing and focus on them completely. Another tool I use to keep involved is participating at their school. My little one (3yrs) goes to a co-op nursery school, so I work on the school yard with him and the other kids every Thursday. My big kid started Kindergarten this year and I volunteer in the school library. All my school volunteer time is done in a way that they see me and know I’m there, showing my love by being involved.

MM - How did you become passionate about skincare for babies and young children?

Skincare is in my blood – I grew up in the industry because my father created the now-famous Epicuren anti-aging skin care product line. When I became pregnant with my first son, I started researching baby products – just like every other mom does. I just couldn’t find anything that was formulated for baby skin that didn’t contain a bunch of unnecessary, and potentially harmful, chemicals. So I delved deeper into the subject and this is what I learned: First: Baby skin is fundamentally different than adult skin. It doesn’t produce enough oil or melanin (natural hydration and sun protection), and is five times thinner than our skin. With that basic knowledge, it is easy to see that skincare for babies is critically important. Second: The skin is an integral part of the immune system. Skin is the home of cells that are essential components of the immune system (interleukin and interferon) and produces antibodies. If the skin is in a weak condition (dry or damaged) the immune system can be compromised. Third: The experience of touch greatly enhances the natural development of children in every way – brain, physical, cognitive development are all exponentially improved with frequent touch. Last: The skincare habits that we instill in our children early in life (the first five years) will stay with them for life and translate into other healthy habits like eating right, getting enough rest. By understanding their skin children learn to pay attention to their bodies and the signals that tell them what they need to stay healthy. Armed with these concepts, Epicuren Baby was born! I’m so proud to offer families a luxuriously all-natural choice in baby skincare that is actively healthy for skin, body and planet! 

MM - How do you teach green concepts to your children?

I take every opportunity to explain “Green” actions to my boys. They love to learn about how things work. For example, when I turn off the water when they are brushing their teeth – they always want to turn it back on. So I explain where the water comes from and where it is going. We talk about the fact that most of the earth is water and most of the body is water. I also like to make fun “green” project – like making some homemade paper out of newspaper and dying the paper using different fruit or vegetable juices (beets, oranges). It helps me explain how paper is made and why reusing and recycling it is important for the health of the planet.

MM - Do you have any tips for moms in looking for “green” products?

Reading ingredient lists can make your head hurt! It is easy to feel confused when reading a typical ingredient label. The language of organic chemistry is foreign to most people, but manufacturers are required to use chemical names on labels. Many companies misrepresent the claim of “all naturally derived ingredients.” To avoid this, look for products that list both the chemical and common origins of all ingredients on their labels. Some ingredients appear synthetic and potentially risky when, in reality, the ingredients are perfectly natural and safe. For example, “alcohol” simply refers to any chemical structure that includes an “-OH” for “oxygen and hydrogen”. The ingredient “Ethylhexyl (Octyl) Palmitate” might seem intimidating, but in fact, this is a natural derivative of palm butter. In particular, avoid parabens, SLS, petroleum products, and ingredients derived from animal fats. Because the list of ingredients to avoid is constantly changing, I recommend going to the skin deep database (http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com) to check out questionable ingredients.

MM - Do you have a motto you would like to share with other moms?

“It's you and me against the world kid.” My mom always used to say this to me – and she still does. She said it in a loving supportive way – not to exclude anyone else from our lives, dreams or goals, but to let me know that she was with me all the time all the way. I never wondered about my mom’s love and support, and I never will. I hope to convey the same strength of bond to my children. The confidence of knowing I’m never alone has given me the strength to attempt great things.