It’s Here!! Be Bona Fide’s No Makeup Monday Video!

We are SO excited to announce that Be Bona Fide’s No Makeup Monday Video has LAUNCHED! This movement is all about having girls and women recognize that the outside pretty isn’t what’s most important. I’m thankful for the positive enforcements you all have given and I hope this video is something you enjoy watching!  

Thank you to the participants!!

In order of appearance: Laura Rush & Nicole Taylor Barlow, Alexandra Butz, Alee Feister, Justice McNeil, Sydney Sturgill, Lily Shoch, Natalie Shoch, Kara Rohrer, Lindsay Terry, Heather Beveridge, Alyssa Lawton, Maddy DePinto, Kallie Burger and Aleksa Burger, Krista Losito, Danielle Lehman, Maya Dula, Emily Patrick, Alexandra Butz, Lisa Butz, Abby Beiler, Mackenzie Brubaker, Cierra King, Morgan Brubaker, Nadine Clay, Emily Conklin, Abbie Ainslie, Liza Wylie-Thal, Karah Ashley, Pearl Butz, Kylie Helmer, Nikol Riley, Emily Leaman, Sophia Martin, Jordyn Kondras, Emily Hansson, Leila Redmond, Krista Fisher, Elizabeth Stoltzfus, Alexis Kanuha, Alexa Kurtz, Hannah Forwood, Abby King, Kelsey Courtney, Lauren Lanas, Lauren Myers, Lauren Bliss, Laura Rush & Nicole Taylor Barlow.

Message from Alexandra to participants:   

Laura Rush Daring to Bare!

#BBNOMAKEUPMONDAY
 
   
Sometimes I just want to walk out of the house ready and dressed for the day, without any makeup on, and not feel so self conscious the moment I enter public.
Because a lot of us put some form of makeup on each day, we are so used to seeing a refreshed version of ourselves. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to look good, but it is so easy to get caught up in it. We as women begin to think that we have to wear it to be beautiful or presentable. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to promote “laziness” or the fact that it is okay to go out looking like a hobo all the time. But it is okay to feel beautiful in your own natural skin. You don’t need makeup to be beautiful. You need grace, love for others, and self-confidence to be beautiful.

  

— 

|| BE B O N A • F I D E ||

let’s get real

http://www.bbonafide.com

@bebonafide & @thestorkdiary

National Lipstick Day!

So, I’m a lipstick fanatic.

But…that gives me the knowledge to write a post about my top favorite lipsticks. I’ve tried over 30 (I counted all of them) and have concluded that these are my favorites.

Included in this post: Lipstick name, company, & number. A picture of the lipstick against my hand to see the true color, a picture of the bottom stating the name and #, a picture of the lipstick compared to the others, and finally, a picture of me WITH the lipstick on.

Remember that just because these lipsticks work on me, doesn’t mean they’ll work well on you. You have to take into factor your complexion, hair color, eye color, etc in order to find a shade that compliments YOU the most. If you like one of these colors, but you feel like it won’t go well with any of those factors, try figuring out whether you are a cool or warm tone and find another color in its ‘family’!

1. Craving Coral Matte || #685 || Maybelline

I love this color because it’s the first red that actually looks straight red on me. Because of my skin tone and natural lip color, reds tend to change to a purply-pink color.

2. Orange Flip || #710 || Revlon

I love this color. It’s tinted orange with a little bit of red.

 

3. Cinnamon Toast || #839 || L’Oréal

Browns are a great color for redheads and other hair colors as well…though it’s not something a lot of people are willing to try. I personally think it’s elegant. This brown can be used lightly or very dark. I have a light & dark picture to show.

4. Crazy for Coffee || #275 || Maybelline

Another brown.

 

5. Power Peony || #720 || Maybelline

EEP!! My good friend Carey Bender picked this out while we were shopping at Target. It was such a fun color that I had to try it, even though I didn’t think it would go very well. Surprisingly, I liked the way it looked, so I invested in one of my own eventually.

My nails matched my lipstick!!

  

6. Fuchsia Flash || #865 || Maybelline

This color is BRIGHT! Obvi. But it’s a really nice pink.

  

7. Blushing Beige || #915 || Maybelline

See all of those wild colors prior to this one? When I put this lipstick on after Carey bought it, I thought it made my look washed out. However, the girls told me it was only because I was used to the bright and dark colors. Here’s to trying new things!

   
  
8. Another one of my favorite colors is Retro Red, #308, by NYC but I’m OUT!

pictured above: Craving Coral #685

pictured above: Power Peony #720

Carey: Fuchsia Flash||Me: Craving Coral

Me: Craving Coral||Carey& Hailey: Fuchsia Flash & Power Peony mixed

Power Peony #720

THANKS FOR READING!! And happy National Lipstick Day!!

Be Bona Fide No Makeup Monday!! Dare to Bare?

  
Makeup: Something to enhance or change the ‘make-up’ of our face.Consider how much power we give that 1 fl. oz bottle of Bare Minerals Foundation. We give that tiny bottle that is SMALLER than us the power to make or break our day with how the application of the cream goes. Consider how much money we spend on makeup. Now, I am not disregarding that makeup is fun for women to use. In my last article for Be Bona Fide, I told you about how my love for lip gloss and lipstick started at a young age; an age where it was purely for fun and not for the impressing of others. But I was scrolling through my Twitter the other day and came across a picture of the quote that had a couple hundred retweets and over 1,000 favorites that stated, “why does my makeup always look good when I’m staying home but doesn’t when I’m going out?” It dawned on me: Females of all ages are told NOT to be confident. It’s in magazines, TV, and all over social media even though it might not be spelled out for us, we are smart enough to feel it. So, what if our makeup is the same, but we are more confident in our own homes without the pressure and influence of the rules of womanhood that society has laid down for us and less confident when we are out and about amongst other women and men?

Be Bona Fide and I are starting this movement because it’s something we can relate to and something that all of our female sisters everywhere will be able to relate to as well. We’re all in this together, so if we can admit to our struggles with makeup, and come together to realize that it’s a universal feeling of not being good enough, feeling uncomfortable, and not being able to enjoy what we are doing because of how we MIGHT be portrayed, we will be able to change the though process one woman at a time. I want to be able to say that I wear makeup because I WANT to, not because I feel like I HAVE to. Ladies, we need to realize that there IS a difference. 

If you want to join Be Bona Fide and I in this movement, I would be glad to welcome you with open arms, as I speak for myself and Laura and Nicole of Be Bona Fide. Today, Monday, July 27 there are TWO FREE DOWNLOADS that you can print out. They are prints that Laura Rush (@thestorkdiary) made especially for this movement. Hold up the sign with no makeup on and write a post about YOUR experiences. Make sure to hashtag #BBNOMAKEUPMONDAY with your post so we have a collection of all of the participants! 

If it fancies you, you can send an email to me @business.alexandrajoy@yahoo.com with your pictures and comments to add to our blogs! (www.abfabinred.wordpress.com) 

   
    
   

Rough roads can lead to creative destinations. Kind of like downtown Lancaster’s pothole roads which lead to the artsy haven of Lancaster City, Tacy Rapier and Katie Johnson weren’t always on a smooth road of friendship. After confessing her distaste for Tacy at the beginning of swim team because she swam faster, Katie Johnson and Tacy Rapier became great friends for seven years and counting.

The idea came about really gradually. Tacy has always loved trying to create businesses, and “most of them failed miserably, like my most recent ‘Chic Boutique’ Yikes.” After exploring different talents, she became fascinated with hand lettering and watercolors. Tacy’s father, being an amateur artist himself, encouraged her to nurture the talent and is always helping and giving her tips. THIS was the beginning of WildDaydreamers

After deciding on an art to base their shop off of, the next step was for Tacy to get Katie on board.

“Thinking that she would tell me it was a nice thought, but that she would rather not, I dropped the idea on Katie. I was pleasantly surprised that she didn’t laugh, she thought it was a good idea! Then our shop was born.”

Instagram is filled with artists who are trying to make it. Tacy explained that the most difficult thing about running their shop is letting people know about them. “If people don’t know about your shop, there is no way of getting any sales. We have been connecting with bloggers an businesses for collaborations (more in the future, yay!)

The Jobs: Tacy and Katie both have specific jobs. Tacy does the watercolors, contacts people via Instagram/email/Etsy. Katie is in the process of learning how to do watercolors, posts on Instagram and mails the prints out.

The Braided Kind of Bliss

With an abounding love for helping others, Ansley Vasconcellos (with a name like that, you’re guaranteed to do great things) worked for Headbands of Hope in college, then came across Pura Vida Bracelets where her office was next to The People’s Movement. The combination of these things had Ansley wanting to find something where she could help people while utilizing her social media marketing background. Ansley then took the huge step of quitting her job and pursuing her ultimate goal of helping others. After searching for a position at businesses with a cause and having no luck, she decided that, “if I couldn’t find something, I would create something. Braided Bliss was born shortly after.”

**The meaning behind Braided Bliss, “I named it Braided Bliss because I’ve always believed that the more people band together and help each other, the stronger their will is and the brighter the world becomes–much like a braid that becomes thicker and stronger the more strands of hair that are used.”

What bliss means to Ansley: “Being in a complete state of happiness, where you feel like you could smile forever and dance for eternity. One of the beautiful things about bliss is that its source is different for everyone. Maybe one person’s bliss is sitting in the sand soaking up a tangerine and cotton candy sky. Maybe someone else’s soul comes alive when they’re on the road with the windows down and the music up. Maybe someone’s spirit is revived when a stranger simply smiles at them or when they smile at a stranger. Bliss comes from within us as much as it comes from our surroundings. It flows harmoniously with our actions every single day. It has no expectations, no limits, no judgements, no right or wrong–it puts everything and everyone on an equal playing field. Always find yours, embrace it, and encourage others to do the same.

Ansley jumped right in and started creating. She came up with a name, planned her first photo shoot, and picked which company to feature first. she made a WordPress blog and all of the associated social media platforms and started hardcore spreading the word. Before she came out with actual products, Braided Bliss was a fashion blog featuring products with purpose. “Eventually, I realized that it also encompassed a message I’ve always wanted to share with the world: spread bliss. It’s all about spreading love and light and embracing small acts of kindness.” This was the start of the creating of her Spread Bliss tees.

In one of the first encounters Ansley and I had, she used a type of language that I absolutely loved, telling me that she had always been a free spirited kid, which was exemplified in the form of messy paint/markers/sand or wearing red cowboy boots with a mismatched outfit. I knew this would be a fun interview to do, and right away I wanted to know what the most memorable thing about owning a business has been, and I couldn’t have been any more happy with her response,

“Being able to meet so many rad souls and having the ability to help them. It’s been such an honor and wonderful experience to work with so many creative and positive people who are working towards creating a brighter world.”

Though the point of Braided Bliss is not to have any sort of ‘kudos’, she does get quite a lot of that. These are the things that motivate her; the touching words of people who have been touched by the message of Braided Bliss.

“Helping people was always my intention with Braided Bliss and I would do it no matter what, but when I actually have people say that to me, it makes it more real. One of my favorite things baout doing all of this has been seeing how people’s words and actions help me just as much as mine may help them. it’s a beautiful cycle of bliss and I’ll always be grateful for it.”

Ansley has two new products in the works that she would love for you to know about. One of them is a new T-shirt for summer that will say “love and light,” and the other is a tote bag that she collaborated with an artist friend of hers.  Her friend painted a beautiful, ocean inspired design that will go on the front of the bag, and Ansley will be doing the hand lettering for a message to go with it.

Oftentimes, I feel like I’m a small part of a huge world, in which I am right about that. It’s easy to feel like we can’t make a mark, like there are far too many people that can’t be touched, can’t be healed. However, what I love about Braided Bliss and Ansley’s perspective is the wholesome truth that it is a rippling effect. I see in her a streak of wildness, a kind of personality that is hard to find. Paul Shane Spear said, “As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person,” and I believe that is exactly what Ansley is doing.

“Besides wanting nothing more than to play in the sand, feel the wind in my hair, and let creativity fly, I always wanted people to feel good. Even if it was a small part in someone’s day, I loved creating moments that created smiles. I’ve always wanted nothing more than to give people a little sunshine.”

~Ansley Vasconcellos

And boy, oh boy does Lauren Taylor Create!

I have loved corresponding with New York Fashion Week event illustrator, owner of Lauren Taylor Creates over these past few weeks. Lauren Taylor Engel is a great inspiration of how a spur of the moment, “What the heck! Why not?” can turn into a “Wow! I built this,” and I hope by the end of this, you will relate and realize that all it takes is a step forward, courage, and a whole lot of drive and determination.

Since the age of two, Lauren was obsessed with color and was always drawing and painting; “Sometimes even on the walls,” she stated. “Although I didn’t study art, it’s always been a passion of mine and a part of who I am,” so she took that passion, and last summer, she launched her website and has created more art over the past year than ever before. After much success, she realized she didn’t have to work full time and work Lauren Taylor Creates on the side, so she took the next step and decided to illustrate full time and travel while doing so. Ding ding ding!! Travel. Right away, I had to ask her where she has traveled to, and I was not disappointed with her answer. She lived in Spain for a year in college and was fortunate enough to travel all over Europe. She has been to 21 countries in total.

Lauren’s best memory of owning a business was when she worked with Shop BURU to create seven illustrations for their New York Fashion Week event last fall. “It was a big project for me and was so much fun! I really love creating custom illustrations for clients because I get to work directly with them and really get to know them! I just love their reaction when they see the finished illustration for the first time – it’s priceless!” As a side note, buru means to breast-feed or nurse a baby in Mandarin Chinese, and the noun “Buru Ma-ma” means a mom, nursing or not, who embodies style in spite of motherhood. I just love that.

“The excitement of knowing I get to do what I love and to work for myself,” is what motivates Lauren every day. “It’s really gratifying to look back on the day and see the work I’ve accomplished and to look at my business and think, “wow, I built this!”

PicktureThat! Wear Your Best Memories

I sat with an awestruck smile on my face when Heidi Roberts, founder of PicktureThat!, told me about how she had never set foot in a photo booth until she was 20 years old.

“My best friend took me to a photo booth one day, (don’t ask me how I got to be 20 years old without ever having been in a photo booth) and I instantly fell in love with my photo strip. We went back to her house and she put her photo strip in a scrap book with 100 other photo strips. A light bulb went off in my head and I said, “Why don’t we put these on a bracelet?! We went to the jewelry store, started experimenting and six years later – here we are!”

At first, I did find myself thinking, “How on earth has Heidi never been in a photo booth?!” But then, I realized that Heidi must be doing something right, because life seemed to reward her with one of those ‘perfect age, perfect timing’ moments. If Heidi would’ve been to a photo booth as a child, she might not have been so completely giddy about the experience, she would’ve been too little to start a business, and who knows if her creative juices would’ve allowed her to come up with the idea that would later start her business.

“I guess I would say that I just kept putting one foot in front of the other,” first having to make her photo bracelets high quality so that she could feel comfortable selling it without her reputation being at stake. “That’s something I don’t take lightly.” It took about a year to perfect her process. When I received my personalized bracelet, I was expecting good quality, but not above and beyond. I try not to expect too much because more often than not, I get my hopes up and two weeks later the metal is turning my wrist, finger, or neck green. I have been faithfully wearing my PicktureThat! bracelet for about a week and a half, and I realize how perfected her process really is.

With a love for pictures, it isn’t a surprise that she can get lost for hours looking through photo albums, whether they are digital or printed. “I don’t feel the least bit guilty for spending all day reminiscing about life. There is something magical about the memories that makes my soul happy!”

I admire anyone who has the courage to go out on a limb and start a business. It all starts with an idea; sometimes gradual, other times it’s a “light bulb moment” like Heidi’s was. It takes incentive and a path and goal procedure to make those thoughts turn into actions, and I so completely love Heidi’s PicktureThat! bracelets.

After you receive your bracelet in the mail, Heidi loves hearing feedback about how much you love the bracelet (because I know you will love it!!)

“Knowing my customers love their bracelets and enjoy having another avenue to share their photos keeps me motivated every day. It also doesn’t hurt that I get to see everybody’s cute pictures when I make their bracelets! (…) One of the best things about owning my own business are when customers email me to tell me how much they love their bracelets. It truly makes my day and I appreciate that they take the time to let me know.”

Heidi has taken the “wear your heart on your sleeve” quote to the extreme, because now you can fill your wrist with pictures of your favorite people, places, and moments that you have captured with your camera.

With Mother’s Day coming up, check out Heidi’s site and give it a go. Heidi and I have created a discount code. When you get to checkout, enter “HOORAY” as the coupon code. It will give you 20% off of orders placed through the 15^th.

HOW TO:

Go to Heidi’s site: http://www.pickturethat.com and click on “BUY NOW”

You can choose either the “Summer Love” bracelet which has a larger quantity of smaller pictures (7 photos) or the “Georgia Rose” bracelet that has fewer quantity of larger pictures (3 or 4 photos)

Select your images, edit your borders, and proceed to the payment page.

***DO NOT FORGET TO ENTER “HOORAY” TO GET MY 20% OFF DISCOUNT!!

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