From the Inside Out: Lisa, Briana, Shayla and Shanelle

This is the LAST WEEK of my NATURAL BEAUTY PROJECT! I have truly loved sharing these photos and the words from these girls every single week! I’m still so honored that these girls decided to take a chance on this and were brave enough to be a part of this. My hope for this project, is that more and more girls will learn to feel comfortable just as they are. Because you are beautiful! I believe beauty starts in your soul and shines so brightly through you that it’s entirely evident on the outside. You are not beautiful because of your hair or your makeup or your clothes or anything else… you are beautiful, simply because, you are. :)
 
In  this post, we have a couple more young girls who were a part of this project! And I absolutely adore them and their answers! :)
 
For those who are just joining in on the natural beauty project blog posts, I’m going to be sharing the same words from my previous blog posts so you can catch up! ;)
 
Welcome back to the Natural Beauty Project: From the Inside Out! I am BEYOND excited to share photos of absolutely BEAUTIFUL girls from the inside out! These girls are choosing to embrace their natural beauty and find their confidence in WHO they are! I’m so thankful to have so many BRAVE girls who wanted to be a part of this project of mine! :)
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One of my favorite things about taking these photos was the fact that I saw each and every girl for who they are. I honestly look at every single photo that I took and think to myself how BEAUTIFUL these girls are! Because you will find what you look for. Look for the beauty in these girls, in yourself, in your neighbor… in LIFE and you will find it! :) And if you look at these photos and the photos of the rest of the girls and look for their flaws instead of their beauty… then I feel sorry for you. But I still want you to know that you are beautiful! And I hope that someday you choose to not focus on your flaws and the flaws of others, but to embrace them, knowing that YOU ARE ENOUGH exactly the way that you are! :)
 
With each blog post and set of photos, I’ll also be sharing some words from the girls with their NATURAL beauty photos! These girls are makeup free with their natural hair, unless stated otherwise! :) Some had long answers for my questions and some had answers with just a few words. And it’s all okay, because there is no right way to do this, there is no right way to be vulnerable. There is only your way! :) *The only reoccurring thing that most likely is not natural in most of the girls you will be seeing is an unnatural hair color. But the way the hair dries, that is natural unless sated otherwise! :)
 
Week 1: natural beauty project: from the inside out
Week 2: from the inside out: mary, nicole and samantha
Week 3: from the inside out: courtney, perla and kristen
Week 4: from the inside out: dorothy, hailey, leah and giuliana
Week 5: from the inside out: danica, ireena and chelsea
Week 6: from the inside out: hannah, charity and suzy
Week 7: from the inside out: krisann, brenda and hannah
Week 8: from the inside out: jeannine, heather and genesis
Week 9: from the inside out: ashley, kelsea and sydney
Week 10: from the inside out: mary, heidi and jenny
 
This is the last week… for now. I hope that someday, I’ll be doing this all over again with even more girls who have decided to embrace their natural beauty! :)

Full name? 
A: Lisa Mathews

Q: Describe what a beautiful act is to you?
A:  A beautiful act to me is a moment of kindness without hidden agendas. It is easy to discern the difference between genuine kindness and kindness that is used for a certain purpose. The beauty of the act stems from the motivation behind it.

Q: When do you feel most beautiful?
A: I really tried to answer this one with one quick answer but I don’t think there’s one time when I feel the most beautiful. I feel beautiful at different times for different reasons. I felt beautiful when I was pregnant because I was carrying my baby. I feel beautiful when I’m interacting with my son because he sees me with innocent child eyes as his beautiful mother. I feel beautiful when I’m being held in my husband’s arms without make up on and my walls are completely down. I feel beautiful when I’m doing outdoor activities that require strength and endurance. I feel beautiful when I am not critical of myself and see what I am capable of as a woman.

Q: What inspired you to start truly loving yourself?
A: My son absolutely inspired me to truly love myself. I realized when he began searching for answers in his world that I wanted to be an example of confidence and strength in my weaknesses. I am strong because I don’t have to have all the right answers, and that’s okay. I was not secure in my imperfections as a child, but I want to embrace mine, so that my son will learn to embrace his one day.

Q: What is beauty to you?
A:  It’s inward.  It’s a contentedness and acceptance of oneself.  Lasting beauty does not depend on the latest fashion trend or hairstyle.  It’s the person beyond the visual impression they initially leave.  Beauty is imperfections that tell a bigger story.

And now we have this little trio! Briana is the mom of Shayla and Shanelle and I had the opportunity to photograph all of them! :)

Q: Full name?
A: Briana Santiago

Q: Where do you find your confidence?
A: I find my confidence in Christ and in my family and friends who love me unconditionally. Christs love for me is constant, unchanging, persistent and rooted in a depth of love I will never fully experience until I go home. I can stand confident on the foundation built on Him that is strong and secure. And  in my moments I forget just how great His love is, my confidence is found in my friends and family who direct me right back to Him and that strong foundation. They bring me up from valleys and push me up to mountain tops I could never experience without them and Him.

Q: What is beauty to you?
A: Having a heart that is kind to people, sharing joy with others, when people share their joy with me. Beauty for me is sharing in life with others. To experience each others ups and downs. To champion each other in our strengths and help one another build stronger in our weaknesses. Acts of kindness is beauty, taking care of the needy is beauty, sharing of yourself in times of weakness and/or strength is beauty.

Q: When do you feel most beautiful?
A: I have always felt most beautiful when my littles are all snuggled right up against my chest. From the time they were tiny babies to my now 6 year old who still cuddles every night to sleep. Its the closest I feel to them. I feel their heartbeats as they listen to mine. Its a beautiful place I get to be each night.

Q: What is something that the world might see as a flaw on you, but you find it beautiful?
A: As you get older and things change, I am just hoping that I continue to embrace my aging body and find it beautiful. Wrinkles especially… each one is a story told through my life. I hope to embrace each once I form knowing its a honor of living a very FULL life.

Q: Full name?
A: Shayla Santiago

Q: What makes you beautiful?
A: The way that I am in my heart.

Q: What is beauty to you?
A: Having a heart that is kind to people

Q: Describe what a beautiful act is to you?
A: Being nice to people who aren’t nice to me.

Q: If you had the opportunity to say something to a large group of women, what would you say?
A: That the whole entire world should share.

Q: What do people compliment you most on?
A: How nice I am and how much I love babies.

Q: Full name?
A: Shanelle Santiago

Q: When do you feel most beautiful?
A: Having my mommy and me on a date.

Q: What is beauty to you?
A: Cuddling with my whole family.

Q: Describe what a beautiful act is to you?
A: To cuddle all my family.

Q: If you had the opportunity to say something to a large group of women, what would you say?
A: Share.

Q: What is your favorite thing about yourself?
A: I so goofy.