From the Inside Out: Mary, Heidi and Jenny

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! :)
 
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
 
And now… ENJOY! :) And check back next week for MORE!! :)

Q: Full name?
A:  Mary Madeline Thurston

Q: Who is the most beautiful person you know and why?
A:  The most beautiful person I know is a close friend I grew up with who passed away from a brain tumor in 8th grade. Her strength and kindness to me really showed what a beautiful and kind person she was. All though she was beautiful on the outside too, the whole time she was battling cancer she was more worried about the other kids in the hospital and started a foundation that her family continues called the Purple Society where they raise money for children fighting cancer and help and support the kids and families. That is beautiful to me. The way she cared for others all though she was needing care too and probably not feeling to well herself, but wanted everyone else to get better too and feel more comfortable.

Q: What is your favorite inspirational quote about being confident or loving yourself or being yourself or beauty?
A: “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” – Psalms 139:14

Q: What is beauty to you?
A: Beauty to me is not just on the outside. Its your personality, your kindness, and how you act around people and how you treat them.

Q: If you had the opportunity to say something to a large group of women, what would you say?
A: Although this society has really tried to tell us that beauty is in size and how you look, God made you just how he wants and you are beautiful no matter what you tell your self or what anybody else says.

Q: Full name?
A: Heidi Faye Nicole Purtzer

*Heidi has eyelash extensions and tinted eyebrows, but aside from that and dyed hair like most of the girls, she is natural! :)

Q: What makes you beautiful?
A: My heart makes me beautiful. I have a huge heart, and am a very forgiving and understanding person, but I also know when and how to stand up for myself when needed. I believe my beauty is continually evolving as I come to know myself better. My vulnerability makes me beautiful, my struggles, my strength, and my successes.

Q: What is beauty to you?
A: This is a multi-faceted question for me, but in short YOU. Beauty absolutely comes from within – from kindness, joy, struggle, vulnerability, from ACCEPTANCE, and lots of love – both towards yourself and others.

Q: What inspired you to start truly loving yourself?
A: I do not know that it was so much inspiration, or that fact that I did not feel I had a choice. I needed and wanted to completely love myself. The more I got to know myself and accept my strengths and weaknesses the easier this became. Plus, in order to truly love others we need to love ourselves, and I think we love ourselves more by loving others – it is a beautiful circle of love – that is inspiring.

Q: If you had the opportunity to say something to a large group of women, what would you say?
A: Be kind, always. It is an easy thing to say, but it is not always easy to do. Support each other and be honest with each other. It is more important to be a good person than to be a liked person, and more often than not being a good person will take you farther. Appreciate what other people, minds, and perspectives can bring to the world. We are stronger when we work together.

Heidi and Jenny are great friends, so we made sure to grab a photo of them celebrating their natural beauty together!!! :)

Q: Full name?
A: Jenny Ramsaier

Q: When do you feel most beautiful?
A: I feel the most beautiful when someone looks me in the eyes and sees me. The real me. The way that makes you feel as though your voice is valid and your heart has been heard. That form of human-to-human interaction and love makes me feel most beautiful.

Q: What is beauty to you?
A: Beauty to me is everywhere. It’s in my morning coffee. It’s in the mountains off in the horizon on my drive to work. It’s a heart warming interaction with a stranger. It’s observing a random act of kindness. It’s a deep conversation with a friend. It’s the moment you climb into your bed after a long day and feel nothing but gratitude for the world around you.

Q: What makes you beautiful?
A: My caring personality makes me beautiful. My unique balance of sensitivity and strength fill my heart to the core.

Q: What do people compliment you most on?
A: I think people compliment me most on what’s on the inside. My heart. My capacity to love big, and love deep. My poise and strength. My ability to lead quietly through example.