Beauty Spotlight on Kathryn Budig

Welcome to the fourth installment of Maya Chia’s Beauty Spotlight series! Each month, we profile a super-cool, badass woman who is doing awesome things to change the world and happens loves Maya Chia, and this month’s woman-in-the-spotlight is no exception. Kathryn Budig is the definition of a multi-hyphenate, in that her work can’t be summed up in one or two titles. Basically, she’s doing a lot of amazing things simultaneously, and they’re all fascinating, world-expanding, and helpful to those involved (and we love that!). 

Kathryn is an internationally celebrated yoga teacher, author, storyteller, mythology-buff, and mama to her two senior dogs. Kathryn is the author of Aim True and The Women's Health Big Book of Yoga, and founder of The Inky Phoenix, an online book club for fellow lovers of story. Kathryn co-hosted the Webby-award nominated podcast Free Cookies with her wife, Kate Fagan, and she recently launched her newest project, Haus of Phoenix (on Union Fit), where she offers yoga, recipes, stories, spontaneous transformation, and more.

So, yeah, she’s the coolest. I mean, what can’t Kathryn do?! Her most recent venture, Haus of Phoenix, is such an amazing way to build community and connection in this crazy, fractured, often-troubling world. And that’s Kathryn’s gift-- she is a deeply empathetic, thoughtful human who infuses everything she touches with energy and light (#goals, right?!). We need more of this!!

But somehow, Kathryn also manages to stay incredibly relatable and honest and hilarious, which makes being part of her Haus of Phoenix community or her Instagram following or her general fangirl that much more fun! Read along to find out what makes her “tick,” and which Maya Chia products she calls “game changers!”

 

Maya Chia Beauty: What is one thing you do every day?

Kathryn Budig: Kiss my puggle Ashi roughly 245 times a day? If we’re staying on topic, I gua sha every morning. It helps turn my morning routine into a ritual and reminds me to slow down before throwing myself into the day.

MCB: Where would you go if you could travel somewhere right now, all expenses paid?

KB: I would normally say somewhere international, probably Greece, but with two senior dogs I like to stay close to home, so let’s go with New Orleans. My favorite city in the US. I’d go get lost in a cemetery with a big paper bag of French beignets.

MCB: Who is the person you wish you could talk to more?

KB: My sister. She lives in Chicago with two kids and I’m in Charleston, SC. We do our best to talk on the phone, but between Covid, life, family — I don’t get to see her or talk to her nearly as much as I would like. She’s a safe space for me.

MCB: What are your favorite Maya Chia products - and why? : )

KB: This is the hardest question yet! No hyperbole — I love them all, but if I had to choose, I’d say The Super Lift Vitamin C-More Serum and The Advanced Response Complex are serious game changers. The textures are luxurious, the smells are uplifting, and they leave my skin dewy and happy.

MCB: What's your "sliding doors" moment? Some time when your life almost took a totally different direction.

KB: That would absolutely be the day I met my now-wife. There were endless obstacles that stood between us being together, but we persevered and I am a completely different (and vastly improved) person because of her.

MCB: What is one easy thing you do to be more "green" or eco-conscious?

KB: We started composting this year! It isn’t the most glamorous of endeavors, but it makes us conscious of our food waste and ultimately more creative in the kitchen.

MCB: What's the best advice you've ever received - and think other women might benefit from?

KB: The opposite of judgment is curiosity. I remind myself to stay curious every single day — not only as a writer and amongst my community, but to stay curious to those who have different opinions than I do. Judgment is a sudden drop of the ax, while curiosity has the potential to build bridges.

MCB: What is something you're really proud of?

KB: I’m deeply proud of our community at my business, Haus of Phoenix. I started my online studio in hopes of highlighting my many loves — yoga, meditation, cooking, storytelling, book club, magic, ritual — but never could have predicted how transformative our members from all around the world would be. It’s truly a magical community.

I’m going to print out Kathryn’s answer about judgment being the opposite of curiosity and hang it over my desk... anyone else? See what I mean about Kathryn being such an inspiring, light-giving human? We’re grateful to have her as part of the Maya Chia community, and as part of the world in general. We need more Kathryn Budig energy in the universe-- more connection, more introspection, more transformation! 

Thank you, Kathryn, for sharing some of your magic with us here on the blog. We’ll see you over at Haus of Phoenix for yoga and book club!