What do you think this project does for girls’ confidence? What can they learn about themselves?

The project initiates a sense of confidence among teens. For me, as a girl, I feel like I use makeup as a ‘security blanket’ of some sort, but by stripping that all away, I was allowed to be authentic, and learned beauty isn’t just  about the makeup, or your hair.

Tell me about a time when someone made you feel bad about your appearance. How did you deal with it or overcome it?

Being a dancer and spending a good majority of my time in leotards, and in front of a mirror has brought unique challenges. I have faced instructors who have shamed me for multiple things with relation to my body. Pursuing a dance career is not easy when the very people who should be training you and building you up are the ones tearing you down.  On many occasions I have allowed their voice and their opinion to overshadow the passion I have and what I truly believe is God’s path for me.  Dealing with it can be hard, so I talk to those that I trust and who care about me.  I work on staying positive and loving who God created me to be.  I truly believe beauty is not what’s on the outside of a person but what is on the inside. Regardless of what others think, I was created by someone who doesn’t make mistakes, He is the final say for how I should feel about myself.  My mom reminds me all the time, “Who told you that?” If it isn’t coming from a place of positivity then it is not worth listening to.

How did you feel being photographed without makeup? What did you learn about yourself?

I felt nervous about getting photographed without makeup at first. I was scared the pictures would come out bad or I would feel insecure. But by feeling like this I realized I was supporting the issue I was supposed to be working against. When the shoot started, I choose to embrace the way I looked and focused on what makes me beautiful.

What characteristics and traits do you think make you beautiful? What makes others truly beautiful?

In my opinion, holding one’s head high and portraying confidence is what makes someone look beautiful. Obviously, it’s our personality and character that make us truly beautiful, but in today’s society, we attempt and hope to look beautiful too. I think if more young women would believe in their inner beauty, it would convey itself to the world in their outer beauty. A young lady who holds her head high when she walks in a room commands attention. If she acts beautiful, others will see her that way. That’s where the real change can happen in society…it is more about believing we are beautiful in the first place…just the way we were created.

How did you feel being photographed without makeup? What did you learn about yourself?

Being photographed without make up was scary for me. I didn’t really know what to expect ( I never do with Mrs. Nikki which makes it so much fun!). It really surprised me with how I felt toward the whole experience afterwards. I remember feeling very natural and free, there was nothing I could hide behind or cover up. It was just me, and my natural beautiful self!