You likely first got to know Whitney Port as a cast-member on the reality show “The Hills” (where she worked alongside Lauren Conrad as an intern at Teen Vogue) and then later as the star of her own reality show “The City” (where she stepped into the fast-paced fashion world in NYC working for at Kelly Cutrone’s People’s Revolution and later for Diane von Fürstenberg). A lot of time has passed and Port is now well-known for her clothing brand Whitney Eve, as a lifestyle expert and blogger, and entrepreneur (right now she’s working as the creative director at innovative flower company Bloom2Bloom). She’s also preparing to add another exciting adventure: Motherhood!
Port is currently expecting her first child with her husband, TV producer Tim Rosenman, later this year. As she gears up for motherhood, Port, like many savvy mamas and mamas-to-be, is forever searching for ways to simplify and bring smarter, safer, and more efficient products into her home. We caught up with her recently (yes, she was every bit the glowing pregnant goddess that you’d expect) as she joined forces with Dawn dish soap to offer up some super-easy life hacks that are sure to make any busy parent’s life easier.
Read on for our Q&A with Port as she chats pregnancy, her latest projects, and the fun fact that her former “Hills” castmates are expecting as well! Plus, scroll all the way down for a great list of her favorite Dawn “alternative uses.”
You’re expecting your first child! Congratulations! What have been the biggest joys and challenges of pregnancy?
Obviously the excitement of bringing a human into the world that’s a mix of my husband and I is really, the most joyous and exciting time and moment. But there are hard parts, both physically and emotionally. You lose control your body and you get morning sickness and your hormones are all over the place, so you’re sensitive to things. It’s a mix of emotions, but definitely more exciting.
Are you all prepped for the baby’s nursery yet?
I’m not! We are moving, likely in the next month, so I haven’t gotten to that part yet, but it will be done by the time the baby comes.
Because of your background, lot of people associate you with fashion. Are there any maternity trends or brands you love?
My favorite online shop for maternity clothes has been ASOS. ASOS, obviously, has really cute regular stuff, but they also have a really extensive maternity section that is not expensive and is really comfortable. You can constantly be getting new things because it’s affordable.
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What else is new with you? Tell us about Bloom2Bloom—the first-ever fashion-forward flower brand with a portion of each purchase going to the Wish Upon A Teen’s Design My Room program.
I’m working as creative director for Bloom2Bloom, which is an amazing give-back flower company. I’ve helped with the re-branding and I’ve designed bouquets. We’re not only just online delivery, but we are looking to be a flower brand where we’re in stores and you see our product and you know those are Bloom2Bloom flowers. But obviously, in doing our part, we’re giving back as well. So when you’re giving flowers to yourself or buying flowers for a succulent for someone or whatever, you’re not only bringing happiness to yourself or whomever you’re gifting to, but you’re also giving back.
Your former “Hills” castmates Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag are also both pregnant right now. I’m sure you’ve been asked this before: Is it too much to hope for a playdate reality show in the works with you and the other “Hills” girls?
Haha! People haven’t brought up the playdate part, but they do bring up that we’re all expecting around the same time.
Tell us about working with Dawn. From the perspective of an expectant mom, what makes Dawn a great product to have at home for more than just dishes?
For me, I’m all about making my life easier and bringing products into my home that make my life easier. Dawn is great with cutting grease and doing your dishes, but it also does so many other cool things. It cleans my jewelry—which I just did—it takes out stains on your clothes, and it can also clean your makeup brushes. There are so many other things that you can do with it.
Any advice for other moms and moms-to-be?
My best advice for moms is to try to eliminate clutter in their lives. Both emotionally and from a house-hold standpoint. Obviously, products like Dawn do those things—where it can do it can do so many things. As moms, we’re all about multi-tasking so we appreciate that.
Whitney Port’s Alternative Uses for Dawn:
When it comes to cleaning, most people don’t realize the multi-purpose magic that Dawn can perform. You know it as the dish soap that best cuts grease in the sink, but it’s also the ultimate secret weapon for cleaning greasy messes throughout your home – think makeup brushes, diamond jewelry, kitchen surfaces and laundry pre-treater!
Kitchen Surfaces: Grease doesn’t always play by the rules. So when it escapes your frying pan, use Dawn to remove it from most kitchen surfaces. Apply a squirt of Dawn to a sponge under warm running water. Scrub the greasy surface and dry the surface with a paper towel.
Laundry Pre-Treater: Stains happen to the best of us. But when Dawn happens to the best of stains – like tomato sauce, blueberries, and grease – you give your clothes a fighting chance. Apply Dawn directly to any cotton fabric, covering the entire stained area, and rub it in using your fingers. Then wash it normally in your washing machine.
Hand Tools: Tools are tough, but necessary for all those household DIY projects! But they need love now and again – tough love. Add a teaspoon of Dawn to a gallon of hot water. With a dishrag or sponge, scrub away the grease and oil. When clean, thoroughly rinse them under running water and dry them with a towel right away.
Beauty Supplies: The best and easiest way to clean your makeup brushes and sponges is with Dawn. Wet your dirty brush with lukewarm water and dip into some Dawn. Brush back and forth to absorb the soap and work up a lather. Gently run the brush under water and repeat until the water runs clean and suds are gone. Gently squeeze out excess water, reshape and lay flat to dry.
Jewelry: Maintain your jewelry’s sparkle all on your own by concocting a cleaning solution with Dawn! Make sure your jewelry is in good condition. Soak in a bowl of warm water mixed with a few drops of Dawn for 2 minutes. Use a new, baby-size, soft toothbrush to gently scrub, and then rinse in a new bowl of lukewarm water. Dry the jewelry immediately and carefully with a paper towel or jewelry cloth.
To learn more about Whitney Port, visit whitneyport.com; to learn more about Bloom2Bloom, visit bloom2bloom.com; and to learn more about Dawn, visit dawn-dish.com!
