kristine gardner
a multi-hyphenated enthusiast
Boulder, Colorado
"focus on the good, be kind always, and look for ways to help others..."
Kristine Gardner wears many hats. or, as she puts it, multi hyphens. she’s a clean beauty exec. she’s an advocate for wellness — and women. she’s a nature-loving, dog-owning, California-raised mom of three. but, perhaps above all, she is an eternal optimist. her secret? “to focus on the good, to be kind always, and to look for ways to help others when we can.” (also: coffee.) here’s how she does it.
why do you live where you do?
“i live in Boulder with my three boys, husband — and my fourth boy, Dodger the Doodle, our new doodle puppy. we moved here four years ago, after living in California for 40 years! (i lived in both Southern and Northern California, so i do consider myself a California girl at heart.) we wanted to raise our boys in a place with a little more space and a slightly slower pace. Boulder offers hiking, beautiful sunsets over the rocky mountains, skiing, four seasons and access to so much adventure in nature; it’s a wonderful community of people supporting one another and fully enjoying the outdoor lifestyle.”
what do you do — professionally, personally, passionately?
“i like to describe myself as a multi-hyphenated enthusiast. i don't do just one thing. in fact, i do many — and am always open to new opportunities that come my way. i am a wellness enthusiast and have been a managing director with Beautycounter for seven years. i advocate for safer laws in the beauty space, and i help my clients look and feel their best everyday. i have a sales team of over 1,000 consultants around the country. i’m also a mindset and goals coach, helping women see — and unlock — their fullest potential and purpose. and i feel most alive in the outdoors. i love hiking, walking my dog, bike riding with my boys and traveling. i feel most creative and connected to our earth when i am in nature.”
what path led you here?
“i have a Masters in Counseling Psychology, and have worked and coached hundreds of women in many different spaces for over fifteen years. coaching women and combining my background in fitness, nutrition and health has led me to where i am now. helping women feel their best, finding their inner glow and their purpose is what brings me joy.”
what inspires and drives you?
“so many things inspire me and drive me ,and they change depending on the season of my life. however, i am always inspired by other fearless, bold and courageous women. i am inspired by random acts of kindness, nature, and travel, both locally and far away places. i am inspired by long baths, long walks, coffee and conversations. i love listening to podcasts and i’ve finally started to listen to books on Audible! i am driven by my values, some of which include freedom, connection, community and joy.”
something you’ve learned “on the job”?
“to be bold and fearless. you can do hard things. find a community of people that will support you no matter what. like bees find a hive, people need to find their tribe or their community. we rise by lifting others!”
piece of époque on current rotation?
“i am obsessed with the jet set trouser! i wear them everywhere. they are so flattering, and i can wear them on a long hike, yoga, grocery store, travel — and even dress them up to go out to lunch or dinner. i love the higher waist. it's the perfect black pant everyone needs in their wardrobe!”
a few random items you can’t live without?
“look for good, even light. you can find this everywhere early in the morning or just around sunset, but you can also usually find it in the middle of the day in shady areas. and try to avoid direct sunlight if you can — it makes for uninspiring photos.
play with your perspective! can you get a lower angle? or a higher angle? maybe you can crouch down or stand on top of something to get a more unexpected shot.
and always, always check the edges of your frame, to make sure you aren't including anything in your photo that you didn't intend to, or accidentally cutting off part of your subject.”
all-around life hack you swear by?
“you don't need to wash your hair everyday! dry shampoo can help make any morning better!”
not-so guilty pleasure?
“currently, Iced Starbucks Oat Milk Latte with half a pump of sugar-free vanilla and light ice and, yes, Ii really order it that way!”
mantra?
“you can do hard things. be kind: it’s that simple. make someone smile, you don't know what’s going on in their life.”
we are living in crazy — but important, for so many reasons — times. what is life like right now for you?
“life for me remains busy. we can always find ways to make ourselves busy but my new focus is to be busy with things that matter. i have three very active boys that all need my attention in different ways — that remains a focus for me, and always has. fortunately, much of my work is online so that part of my life hasn't changed as much. however, as the world starts to open up again, i am trying to remember what i have learned over this past year, and that is to focus on the good, to be kind always, and to look for ways to help others when we can.”
what feels different about this year?
“this past year has forced my extroverted personality to get in touch with the introverted personality. to be honest, i am liking the balance between the two. go inward and be still more. the answers we are all looking for are within ourselves.”
what are you looking forward to most right now?
“traveling. seeing my friends and family this summer! hugs and long conversations, connecting in person. to my kids going back to school, playing sports and doing the things they love. we will never take the smallest thing for granted ever again! (also, if i'm being honest, going to the grocery store without a line around the building!)”
what's the single best thing you did, read, saw, cooked and /or dreamed up so far this year?
“did: i started meditating this year, and now i look forward to it every single day. (i use the Peloton App for everything, including my meditations.) i recently took a weekend trip to see my sister in Florida, and having the 1:1 time was the best travel i have done this year so far. (she makes me laugh like no one else.) and bringing our dog Dodger into our family was a huge highlight! i was so nervous to get a dog and he has been such a ray of light in our family.
read (okay, listened to): i am loving Untamed by Glennon Doyle, listening to her on Audible, and having many YES moments!
bought: i love my All Pan, which has made my life so much easier in the kitchen. (for someone who doesn't like to cook, this pan truly makes everything in the kitchen easier.)”