Content creators like Daniela “Nany” Ramirez — who pepper feeds with clear blue skies, bright outfits, and images of her son (Nico) and husband (Gabriel Sanchez) — are best known for their visual storytelling. But transforming a college style blog into a post-grad fashion portfolio into a digital community of 181,000 and counting doesn’t come without some elbow grease. “One of the things that people don't realize about influencers and bloggers is that even vacations are work time,” the Venezuela-born creative tells me over an afternoon Zoom call.
For an upcoming beach trip, for example, she’s already mapping out the photos she plans to take. “Sometimes it’s hard to disconnect,” she says. “You have to be like, ‘Now I’m going to stop work.’ It has to be an actual decision.” With a second child on the way and a social media presence that keeps growing, maintaining a balance of personal and professional care has become its own priority. That’s why Ramirez implements saying no as part of her self-care routine, among other things, which she shares below in partnership with European Wax Center.
“With Nico, my first baby, I worked until the day I gave birth, because the doctor was like, 'Oh, it could be another week,’” says Ramirez. “We shot a campaign that day, and I had to post something when I was in labor.” That was a turning point. “I know that this time around, I'm going to take me time.”
So how does a woman juggling work, home, and life find that time? “I tell my husband, ‘I need an hour for myself,’ even if it's to read a book or to chill in the bathtub,” says Ramirez. “We do very good at that. He helps.” As the word "helps” lands, her voice trails off. “I hate the word help, but we switch. We take turns.”
And if that hour gets whittled down to just five minutes: "Sleep," she says with a big burst of laughter. "No, but for real, I think just a long shower would be perfect." That’s where EWC’s body care line comes in. “I've been familiar with their body wash and moisturizer for years, and I love it,” says Ramirez.
The fan-favorite products got a recent refresh, including the Slow line, a three-step system of body cleansers, scrubs, and moisturizers that come in four scent variations (aloe, coconut, shea, and fragrance-free). The dermatologist-tested formulas visibly reduce hair thickness with naturally derived narcissus bulb extract, slow regrowth, and gently exfoliate, cleanse, and hydrate skin. This comes in particular handy in between waxes, which Ramirez keeps on her personal-care list, even with another baby on the way. “Recently, I went in for a wax,” she says. “It was a pampering, self-care thing. It’s like, you just do it and relax, because it gets harder [to] with a belly.”
As we chat about the arrival of baby number two, Rameriz describes pregnancy as a “beautiful and magical state of life,” but there are moments when she has to reconnect with herself. “For me, I do feel a little bit out of my body — like it's me, but it's not me. So I need to find ways to feel me, even if it's putting a little bit of makeup on or getting my hair all done up.”
She notes that although her second pregnancy is "super different" than her first, she still feels empowered "like a superwoman." "I'm creating life,” says Ramirez. “I'm taking care of a little one.” As we close our conversation, I ask if she has any words of wisdom for moms-to-be. "It's OK to listen to your body," she says with conviction. "Sleep a little bit more if you need to. Eat a little bit more if you need to."
She also says embracing the experience and making an effort to keep pieces of herself have been helpful on her motherhood journey. "It goes by fast," she says. "For example, with my first pregnancy, I didn't take that many pictures. Not that I was hiding it, but I was not embracing either. Now that I think this is our last one, I'm a little nostalgic about it. I want to enjoy every minute of it."
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