Welcome to In Harmony with, our ongoing series where we invite those who inspire us to share their stories and the rituals that help them stay grounded.
This month, we chatted with Heaven Schydlowsky, Director of Digital Product & Ecommerce at MERIT, one of our favorite clean beauty brands. Though she’s based in Brooklyn, we had the opportunity to connect during one of her recent stays in Topanga.
You’re based in Brooklyn now, but you previously lived in Los Angeles—is that right? Is LA where you’re originally from?
That is correct! I moved to Brooklyn with my husband 5 years ago. Fun fact: We haven’t moved from the first apartment we moved into.
What prompted the move to New York, and how did that transition shape this chapter of your life?
In a semi post-pandemic era when things were opening up a bit, my husband and I decided to change coasts. A few things prompted this move: we wanted to try something new. I was born and raised in LA, and never really thought of leaving my home. On the contrary, my husband has moved and lived in a lot of different places. He recognized how important change was. And my life, though really full, did feel stagnant in a lot of ways. Nothing like picking up and moving your life to a whole new city to shake things up.
Another reason is our families are split between two continents. My family is based on the West Coast of the states and his family based in Europe. New York felt like the perfect middle ground between our two families—lots of visits and easy access to travel to and from in both directions.
Do creativity and entrepreneurship run in your family, or is that something you carved out on your own?
A bit of both, honestly. Being a Black woman in America comes with its share of challenges and heartache, but also an incredible sense of resilience. And within that resilience lives a kind of dreaming, a deep desire to build something better for the generations that come after you. That's something I inherited from my mother and my grandmother: the belief that dreams give birth to new ideas and creative paths forward. So yes, creativity absolutely runs in my family.
In a more tangible sense, I've always been drawn to movement: singing, dancing, just expressing. My earliest memories are from ballet school and theatre class, and that spirit has never really left me. I bring it into my work, into my home (plenty of living room dance parties for three), and into the way I show up for the people around me. That creative energy has always stuck with me.
You’re a (fairly) new mama. Congratulations! Do you enjoy raising your daughter, Soleil, in the city, or do you ever find yourself craving a slower pace of life?
Thank you! There is definitely a bit of desire to live a slower pace of life. My daughter, Soleil, was born here in the city, and she’s such a city girl: loves the park hangs on whim, sits at the al fresco wine bar with me sharing a cheese board. She’s constantly ingesting art, people, music in and outside the museums. So I really love that she gets to see and live in such a dynamic place.
That being said, I’m craving more space for her (and us!) which might be more realistic outside of the city.
You’re also a model and a certified yoga instructor. How did those paths unfold, and how do they intersect with the work you do now?
Working in the direct-to-consumer space has definitely exposed me to so many amazing brands and people. And sometimes when I really enjoy the brand and the brand story, I naturally end up modeling or promoting things that I believe in and love.
Yoga came at a time when I first moved to New York and was desperately looking for community. I found it at my home studio and never looked back. Yoga is part of my daily ritual both on and off the mat. Not necessarily tied to the work that I do, but also not totally detached either.
You’re deeply passionate about self-care. What’s one ritual that feels truly non-negotiable for you?
Outside of moving my body everyday—breathwork, qi-gong, yoga, etc.— taking a moment to pause in the morning and evening to prioritize relaxation is another non-negotiable. That can look different day-to-day. Sometimes I really enjoy a moment to massage Gold Mine Face Oil into my skin and then glide the Solstice Gua Sha along my jaw and forehead. Other days, it’s a Magnetic Copper Dry Brush moment! Or even a foot soak. Just one moment to let your body know that it's safe to slow down and relax.
What does “living in harmony” mean to you?
Living in harmony means pausing to truly take in the world around you: the light coming through the window, the trees just barely blossoming into spring, the quiet hum of appliances, the chatter of kids down the street. And fully appreciating all of it in that moment.
At its core, living in harmony is about being present, and being grateful to be a part of it.
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Find Heaven:
Instagram
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Interviewed & Photographed by Micaela Hoo, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, My July
