Jessica Hall | Beauty and Business | The Breakdown with Bethany
Jessica Hall is one of my favorite moms to follow on social media. She always has an amazing beauty tip or product to share and is a successful entrepreneur. Jessica also created the blog Sleepless Mom (such a relatable title!), that’s chock full of helpful tips on everything from raising toddlers to navigating Disneyland. She also has her own podcast with former Bachelorette DeAnna Stagliano. So it’s safe to say Jessica is quite inspiring.
Check out our interview below, where she shares some of her favorite beauty products and best tips for aspiring business owners.
Jessica Hall | Beauty and Business | The Breakdown with Bethany
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Hi and welcome back to another episode of The Breakdown With Bethany. I’m Bethany Braun-Silva and today my guest is Jessica Hall. Jessica got her start as a celebrity BFF, like so many of our favorite current celebrities have, but now she is a business owner, a mom to two beautiful children, and a beauty expert. So we’re going to be touching on everything from running your own business to Jessica’s favorite beauty products. So stay tuned.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
I’m sure you get asked this a lot, but I was obviously a “Girls Next Door” superfan. So people might have seen you from that. Obviously, you have done crazy, amazing things since then, but tell us who you are, what you’re all about, how you got started.
Jessica Hall:
Oh my gosh. Let’s see, I started in the business when I was 19, which was, oh my God, almost 20 years ago. Ew. Anyways, honestly, I always wanted to just be in the entertainment business someway, somehow, but it wasn’t necessarily the direction that I went in. I wanted to be more of a newscaster or a singer, which I can’t sing by the way, but as a child, your dreams are supposed to be whatever you want.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
I agree.
Jessica Hall:
But my main goal, I wanted to be a newscaster. It’s what I wanted to do. I started going to school for it. Within the first year of school, I went to this big open casting call that one of my girlfriends was like, “You should come. You should come.” It was this prank show on MTV called Burned. I’m like, “Okay,” it wasn’t really what I was trying to do, but I was like, “Okay, let’s go.” Huge cattle call. I think I was there like six hours. Went to a few callbacks. So I didn’t have an agency. I think I had a photograph. I don’t know, a picture that my mom took of me, in my front yard. I’d even have a headshot and a resume. Long story short. I ended up booking it, and I worked two and a half months with MTV hosting this show. I had the best time of my life. I thought, “Oh my gosh, this is great. This is the start of my career.”
Jessica Hall:
No, I was so fortunate to book that first job. So fortunate. After that, it was not smooth sailing whatsoever. I had to work so hard. I worked three different jobs in L.A. I thought this whole dream of doing the entertainment business was right at my hands. In reality, it was a lot of work. Luckily, I stuck it out. From there, I went on and did a bunch of TV hosting for E!, TV Guide, I did Playboy, I did radio on Sirius/XM. And I just kept working my way up. Nothing was handed. Everything was just literally just always trying to work in the business and have longevity in it, which is not always easy to do.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
No, I think in some ways because it might have even prepared you for motherhood.
Jessica Hall:
Yeah.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
The kind of grind. I have to also tell you, I respect that so much because I’m doing that right now. I feel like I got a late start in this entertainment world. I had my kids first and now I’m trying to break in… how maybe you did however many years ago. But I love that grit and that hustle. I’m really also loving, I love your blog, The Sleepless Mom. And one of the most recent posts that I read was really resonated with me, I think it’s having a new business and a baby.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
So many of the moms that we reach out to that watch this show are entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs. So can you tell them, and you’re certainly… you’re a business owner, you’re an investor, you’re a boss mom, as we like to say. So give them your tips for managing a business and parenthood, whether you’re maybe doing both at the same time, what do you suggest?
Jessica Hall:
I like that we are able to do it all, women can do it all. We can be awesome mothers. We can own our own businesses, do whatever we want. And my love of that we have evolved so much that if you are a stay-at-home mom, but you want to seek more or you want to work, you can start your own blog. There are so many ways now working from home online with a bunch of different businesses that offer that.
Jessica Hall:
I think in the beginning like you said, you were “Mom” first, and then you started getting into your business and your success. For me, I come from 10 kids. I didn’t want kids. The second I moved out, I was like, “Oh my gosh.” I think our youngest was still a baby and I told my husband who I’ve been with for 18 years. I was like-
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Wait, hold on. I’ve been with my husband for 18 years. We have been talking about [crosstalk 00:04:36] not married for 18 years, no way, but we’ve been together.
Jessica Hall:
We’ve been married 14. Yeah.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Oh my gosh. Good for you. Go ahead. Sorry to interrupt. I’m just…
Jessica Hall:
No, you’re good. You’re good. I just love that… It’s when I first… The mom guilt and all that when I first started trying to work and be a mom, this and that, there was so much, and this was just five, six years ago. I think we’ve evolved so much of women supporting women. It’s one thing to say it, but actually do it and I think just all that support out there drives me and I think others to do more and want to do… Whatever you want to do, you can.
Jessica Hall:
I don’t think that there’s a certain column that you need to fit in always. You can do it all. Do I sleep? Absolutely not. but you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love that I am a full-time mom, but I’m also working full-time. And for me, the hustle of it all, it just kind of thrive. The fact that I know at the end of the day like, “Oh my gosh, I accomplished this. This. This. This.” It feeds my soul. I absolutely love it, but you have to have it in you.
Jessica Hall:
You can’t just think, “Okay, it’s going to come to me,” or “There’s that,” or “It didn’t happen fast enough,” because I can’t tell you how many times and I’m only talking about being a mom in business. I’m not even going to talk about the years of my early twenties, what I endured in Hollywood and the criticism and being put down for my weight. And there was so much that I cannot… And I look back and I’m like, “Oh my gosh, how did I like rise above that?” Because there was so much that you don’t see now that just got away within those years. Social media wasn’t big so people couldn’t express how they felt or just what was going on at those casting calls or behind closed doors. It was not pretty and now I just feel like, for the first of my life, I’m definitely not… My physique is not what it used to be, clearly, and I’m aging and all this, but I have never felt more confident ever than I do now.
Jessica Hall:
And I did Playboy and all that, that did not… That wasn’t it for me, this is it for me. I love the fact that I can be a mom, be a wife, be a businesswoman and I, and I love supporting other women. I love that I have a platform where I’m able to help the small businesses or these moms that are starting these little bracelet companies out of their homes or just a clothing line. And I look at them like, “You know what? Good for you. How can I help?” And I think if there’s more of that with the people that do have the followings and just the mom supporting moms, women supporting women, I love what I’m seeing today.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Yeah. And obviously, you’re an amazing businesswoman, influencer, what have you. But you also have a podcast of your own. Can you tell us a little bit about that and what’s the whole, the mission, and the message rather around that?
Jessica Hall:
So everything I do… For that one, I don’t really have… It’s called Flashbacks. It literally is those glory days before social media. I talk about my Playboy days. I do talk about the casting calls. I talk about that Hollywood that people only read about. We have a lot of guests that come in, whether they’re celebrities, models, influencers, and they talk about their past. So being called Flashbacks is literally what it is. We don’t really talk about anything current. It’s just funny stories, embarrassing stories, these Hollywood moments, meeting actors to some of the craziest stories.
Jessica Hall:
And I love that when people come in, they just feel so comfortable enough to tell these stories and I think it’s just kind of like a WTF moment on so many times of just what comes out of their mouth. And I love that. I love that we can just reminisce. Literally, I call it my glory days, but that’s pretty much what it is. And for me, just it’s an escape to kind of get away from all the craziness that my every day has, whether it’s working with the kids, husband, house duty, everything. It’s my little escape that I can just sit back and sit with these guests guys, girls, you name it and we just reminisce. And everybody has a story to tell.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
It sounds like, and I’m like this too, it sounds a little bit like you’re… We talk a lot about self-care and this mom world, but it sounds like your self-care is really your work. This is what sort of fills your cup and I’m like that too. I love talking, connecting, and sort of this work environment, but it doesn’t feel like work as you and I talking right now. We could just be friends hanging out. I don’t know.
Jessica Hall:
No, exactly. You nailed it. When I go, I’m so grateful that I have this platform and it’s with Action Park Media, Kevin Connolly runs it. I have known Kevin for 20 years and he makes the whole, the studio’s fun, there’s a bar, there’s a couple of studios. It’s such a good vibe, the music is going. And I’m like, “Oh, how lucky am I?”
Jessica Hall:
I only do it once a month and I film a couple in a day, just albeit for obvious reasons but when I go there, I’m just like, “Oh my gosh, I am going to Uber.”
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Yeah, I get you totally.
Jessica Hall:
Because mom is going to have some drinks and I’m going to talk with friends and it’s a good time. I’m very grateful for that job.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
It sounds like an awesome time. And so if you guys are watching, be sure to definitely check out that podcast. But I do want to switch gears a little bit because I think you’ve really known very well in the beauty space. Am I correct in saying you have your own line of beauty products, skincare?
Jessica Hall:
Uh-huh (affirmative).
Bethany Braun-Silva:
So tell us about that and then I want to do kind of a rapid fire with you. Just tell us your favorite products and whatever the first thing that comes to mind.
Jessica Hall:
Bring it.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Okay.
Jessica Hall:
I love it. I love it.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
So tell us about your line first.
Jessica Hall:
So I love skincare. I love beauty products. I love it all, especially as I’m just getting older, I’m realizing how important it is to take care of your face. I hate to admit this, but I think there’s a lot that’s the same age as mine that we would take baby oil and put it out and lay in the sun like tanning beds, what was I thinking? Yeah, it’s so bad, but I understand how important it is, especially your face. And I have been friends with my business partner Bill for, I don’t know… 13, 14 years. He is amazing and he and I just kind of always wanted to work together and he has his degree… He is literally a scientist when it comes to beauty products.
Jessica Hall:
He curates his own formulas. He’s unbelievable. I’ve been using his products, I believe in him. So when he started BB Lifestyle, he asked me to come on board and I went through the process with him. We chose what we like, this smells, the textures, this, that, and we launched about three, four years ago now. And there are 10, 12 products of just amazing skincare from eye cream to the recovery gel to even our sunscreen is number one. And that is… People get our sunscreen and they just rave because a lot of people forget that that is essential, every single day, put your sunscreen on, I cannot express that enough. And not just your face, do your neck, do your chest and do your hands.
Jessica Hall:
And it is. Yes, it is. I don’t care if you’re like, “Oh, it’s cold here,” or, “There’s no sun,” or this or that, it’s not just… Act as if it’s lotion and find a good sunscreen that you like. I prefer BB Lifestyle, but it’s just so important to do that sunscreen. I cannot express that enough. We also have a recovery gel and a lot of it has CBD in it, which I’m a big fan of. And the recovery gel is something that I use for my chest, my neck to help with wrinkles and redness and just kind of hydrates like no other. I’m going to be 40 soon and I want to look good and I want to take care of what I have for as long as I can.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Yeah. Well, it looks like you’re doing a good job.
Jessica Hall:
Thank you.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Okay. So I’m going to ask you some of your favorite product questions. I obviously we know you’re a little bit biased, but if you want to give your own product, that’s fine. If there’s another that comes to the top of your head, let us know. Okay. So what is your favorite under-eye cream?
Jessica Hall:
I love Mirage. It has this amazing. You know what I love about it too, it comes with a… Is this supposed to be really quick?
Bethany Braun-Silva:
No, go ahead. = Tell what you want.
Jessica Hall:
Because it has one of those wands with the metal ball so it’s cold and it just feels like a dream putting underneath my eyes at night.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Okay. And so now your favorite… Do you use serums?
Jessica Hall:
Yeah. Vitamin C serum all the way. Love, love, love vitamin C serum.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
What, did you have a favorite brand?
Jessica Hall:
Yes. Juice Beauty is my favorite.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Okay. Awesome. All right. Now let’s move on to makeup. What do you use for mascara?
Jessica Hall:
I don’t use mascara. I’m a big fan of eyelash extensions.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
You know what? I was asking that for my own personal thing because I’m like, “Should I get the eyelash extensions?”.
Jessica Hall:
I love mine.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
All right.
Jessica Hall:
Eyelash extensions are my trip. I wake up and I’m like, “Damn, Jess, you look good today.” No, it’s the extensions, but whatever I am obsessed with eyelash extensions.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
There you go. It’s like the secrets of a Hollywood insider. Okay. The last question is again, not rapid-fire, whatever you want. How many approximate steps are in your nighttime skincare routine?
Jessica Hall:
Oh my gosh. So that is “me” time. We talked about self-care and before my twenties, I’m now going to tell you what I would do… I would use a Neutrogena wipe and be like, “Call it a day,” which still took care of my skin pretty well.
Jessica Hall:
But I love doing face masks. I love Aloisia Beauty. I like to put those masks on, it just hydrates and it just feels so cool. And it’s taking the day away, all the makeup and the sunscreen and all of that. It’s a little embarrassing because my nighttime routine is I love baths. I love bath salts. I love bath bombs. I like oils. I love the under-eye patches. I love my oils. I use Diana Madison Beauty for my oils for my face. This is embarrassing. I have five steps. I do brush my teeth so there’s that. I’d rather put a face mask on than brush my teeth half the time.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
No, I get it. It really is important. And I think, it is all part of taking care of ourselves as mothers. So final question, what are your tips for moms who might be struggling, looking in the mirror every morning and they’re just like, “I have no time,” but like what would you tell them about taking care of yourself, taking care of your skin, things like that?
Jessica Hall:
I’m with you. Sometimes I catch myself in the mirror and I’m like, “Whoa, Jessica, get your S-H-I-T together. What is going on?” We can say we have no time all the time, but this is… In 5, 10 years, you’re going to be so happy that you just took two, three minutes a day to just take care of your skin. And like I said, I’m a big fan of if you can just do the face masks, the under-eye patches to even Crest White Strips, anything just to make you feel just a tad bit better.
Jessica Hall:
And when you do get those glimpses in the mirror, you’re like, “Oh my skin’s glowing today.” Take those two, three minutes. The self-care… You do that, you’re going to feel better as a mom, a wife, and just going about your day when you just have that little bit of a glow and there’s the possibility to have the glow without being pregnant, people. So let’s just try and remember that we matter as well.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Yeah. It sounds like you’re saying a little bit can go a really long way.
Jessica Hall:
Nailed it. Yes. Yes. I’m not even kidding. Two to three minutes. I used to be that person that’s like, “No, I don’t have time. I don’t have time.” [inaudible 00:15:51] until guilt or this, or that. You know what? No, it’s okay. It’s totally fine. And you can even do things while you have your face mask on, your eye patches, your teeth whitening strips. Even to a mud mask or anything that you can just continue about your day, but you do have to take a couple of minutes to wipe that stuff off. Don’t forget.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Absolutely. I think a few minutes to take care of your skin is definitely well deserved for all the moms out there. Jessica, thank you so much for joining us. Please tell us where we can find you, your products, anything you want to plug. Let’s do it right now.
Jessica Hall:
Yes. Check out Flashbacks. DeAnna Stagliano and myself do it [inaudible 00:16:31] as a former bachelorette, we have so much fun together. It’s Action Park Media. Also check out my skincare line, BB lifestyle. And if you’re ever in L.A. Come by Sugar Taco. We have one on Melrose and one in Sherman Oaks. It’s a vegan Mexican food restaurant, all women-owned, which I love.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Love it. I’m going to come. I’m definitely coming. And where can we find you on Instagram?
Jessica Hall:
Jessica Hall
Bethany Braun-Silva:
And one more because I love your blog. Tell us about your blog too.
Jessica Hall:
My blog which I created in the middle of the night when I had my first child called sleeplessmom.com and I’m still sleepless. I have a four and a six-year-old and I am still sleepless, but I’m okay. I’ll just put a face mask on.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Okay. And your four-year-old is Jake, is that correct?
Jessica Hall:
Yes.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
I have a six-year-old named Jake. So there we go.
Jessica Hall:
I love that. Yes, it’s just Jake.
Bethany Braun-Silva:
Thank you so much, Jessica. We really appreciate you coming on The Breakdown with Bethany, you know her to find her. Thanks, guys.
Did you know you could listen to this interview as a podcast?:
She was previously the Senior Editor of Big Apple Parent Magazine and has written for OK! Magazine, Hollywood Life, Mom.com, and CafeMom. She is a graduate of New York University, but her proudest accomplishment is being a mom to Elias and Jake who make life (and work) endlessly fun!
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