Well hi there,

How on earth is it the middle of October already? This may sound crazy coming from a certified beach bum, but I can’t help feeling like fall may be my new favourite season... *GASP*. I know. But I have been thoroughly enjoying the crisp air, cozy clothes and binge watching Squid Game. Don’t get me wrong- I will forever be a Summer junkie, but there’s something about this October that is making me all fuzzy and warm. Perhaps it’s because I have my own home for the first time ever and I’m nesting!? I don’t know. What I do know is I have a new appreciation for fall this year.

Scarecrow Halloween look using the PEI Palette, check out @jessicagallantbeauty for the tutorial

I wanted to do a little “life check-in”...

I can’t help but reminisce on the past few months and launching the Jessica Gallant Beauty products. You all have made this experience the coolest, truly. I love seeing you wearing the JGB products and getting a spark of joy from shades like “Garlic Fingers” and “Lobster”. So, thank you. So freaking much. The summer was also filled with Bridal Makeup applications, and every single bridal party was an absolute joy to work with. 

Now that the summer is long gone I’m back in school and my husband and I are expecting our first baby in December. Life’s about to get crazy. Although it has been pretty crazy since March 2020, hasn’t it? 

I don’t know about you, but since that dreaded March barely anything in my life has been the same. As a member of the arts and entertainment industry, everything was shut down and my husband and I uprooted from Toronto to PEI. I lost my Musical Theatre gigs for the next year and a half, and I still don’t know what life will look like in the theatre/film industry once it’s “back to normal” (will that even exist anymore?), especially as a new mom.   

 The last full-scale musical I did before the pandemic, MYTHIC at the Segal Centre in Montreal

Creating the JGB products came out of necessity.

The necessity to be creative, the necessity to pivot as everything was being ripped away from artists, and the necessity to keep pushing myself to learn and evolve. I still find it very hard to “look at the positive '' of COVID because of all the heartache it has caused an infinite amount of people, but I have to say that launching my products and committing to this business has been an absolute joy and eye opening experience. I had a huge appreciation for small businesses in my community before, but now it has opened my eyes to the rigorous work entrepreneurs and business owners put themselves through to contribute to their communities. I am enjoying this work so much that it makes me wonder how I will go back to “pre-pandemic” life. I have no idea how to do that. I essentially had to create a new life for myself, so how do you pivot AGAIN?? Deep thoughts for a Friday afternoon…

On another note, tomorrow I am 33 weeks pregnant.

33 is one of my favourite numbers!

This pregnancy has been an interesting experience and I know that it will only continue to get more interesting! Feeling my baby shimmy my belly around makes my jaw drop, and trying to comprehend the fact that her little heart is beating inside of me is wild. I have two heartbeats in my body?! How cool is that! It’s nuts to think about and I don’t take it for granted in the slightest.

Quick selfie at Jem's Boutique during the Jessica Gallant Beauty Pop-Up Shop

It also makes me wonder what life will look like after her arrival. Again, life changed so much because of the pandemic and now it’s about to change a WHOLE lot more. I have no idea what it’s going to look like, but I do know I have an amazing community of family and friends surrounding me, and I think community has become less of a priority to people in recent years. I want to be sure I remember that my community is here to support me and I want to continue to support them as this baby comes into the world. 

Anyway- how are you doing??? Are you checking in with yourself? I find it grounds me and helps me remember that the world isn’t resting on my shoulders. We’re all living our own experiences and it’s important to get outside of yourself- but in order to do that you need to go internal and see what’s up in that brain of yours. 

The holiday season is fast approaching and I have a new product coming your way VERY soon. Keep an eye out for that! The clock is ticking! 

xo, Jessica