Athlete Spotlight: Meet Eric!
Eric puts the POP! in "Mom n' Pop Shop." He's the spouse and better half of our founder, Becky. We wanted to get to know him better, so we sat down to ask him questions about athletics and skincare.
Q: Thank you for sitting down to chat with us! Okay - to start, help us get to know you! Name and age, please:
A: Eric Johnson, 41-years-old.
Q: Are you a hobbyist, competitor, or instructor in a specific athletic or movement field?
A: With mountain biking, I am a totally obsessed, extreme hobbyist. But I'm just a normal hobbyist with kayaking, running, and resistance training. I used to compete in jiu jitsu for many years, but lately I've relaxed a lot more with that.
Q: Do you consider yourself to be an amateur or a professional athlete?
A: I am an amateur athlete in the sports I do. Although I always strive to be above average, and I am quite competitive with myself.
Q: What has been the most rewarding part of your athletic or movement journey?
A: Health and fitness, for sure! Both physical and mental health. I am happy with my physical appearance, and I feel energetic and great pretty much all the time.
Q: We are jealous of all that energy! What has been the most challenging part of your athletic or movement journey thus far?
A: The most challenging part for me is not reaching the skill level that I would like to be at in my jiu jitsu journey. At this point, I would think my skill level would be a little more advanced, but I am also not upset where it is now.
Q: Now, turning to the body's biggest organ - the skin! Does your skin lean more dry or oily?
A: My face is oily, and my body is dry.
Q: Do you traditionally enjoy using skincare products, or nah?
A: Yes! I like a cleanser that makes my skin feel like the perfect, happy medium. I don’t like when soap dries out my skin. Most soaps or cleansers will dry out my face and create red, rough skin around my nose. So annoying! Then I have to counteract that with a moisturizer.
Q: Does your sport/movement cause any specific skin-related issues, such as: excessive dryness, chafing, rashes, blisters, scrapes, windburn, sunburn, increased risk for infection, etc.?
A: Most definitely! In jiu jitsu, a lot of people get “gi burn” on their face. It’s like a rug burn, but it's created by the thick, rough gi clothing material you wear when training. That causes raw skin exposure, redness, and dry spots when it starts to heal up. When it comes to hiking, running, and mountain biking, I get slight sunburns here and there.
Q: How does a minimalist routine that replaces multiple other skincare products fit into your on-the-go lifestyle?
A: Well, I am always on the go, and I like to have my skin care products in my bags, so they are easily accessible for any sport I am doing. Since I love to pack light, the Mil Usos bar cleanser and moisturizer replace bulkier bottled items that I used to use. It makes my trips lighter and easier, without compromising quality.
Q: Which Mil Usos products have you used?
A: I use all three products! My skin feels better than ever; it never gets irritated anymore, and I actually get compliments on my skin now!
Q: In your experience, what is the most convenient or useful aspect of Mil Usos's multi-functional offerings?
A: The most convenient and useful aspect is packing just three small items that all fit neatly into my little toiletry bag, and all my hygiene needs are taken care of.
Q: That's so cool! We are gonna wrap things up with one final question: what is the most salient piece of advice you could offer to someone who is just starting their athletic/movement journey - something you wish you knew when you first started?
A: I would offer the advice that if you are willing to be disciplined enough to be an athlete, it takes the same amount of discipline to keep your body healthy. Eating and drinking healthy, staying away from saturating your body with chemicals and inferior products. Everyone knows if you eat and drink unhealthy, it counteracts your efforts and slows you down. If you have skin irritation or infections, that can also delay your training regimen until you get that issue resolved.
Q: Where can people find you (social, website, etc.)?
A: @kimuras_all_day on Instagram 
