Learning to Love Yourself

Did you know that you are beautiful even if you aren’t the “perfect” weight?

Did you that you're beautiful even if your hair has started to gray?

If things don't necessarily sit where they used to?

Even if you don’t meet your own personal standards of beauty, you are beautiful.

As I sat in a chair in my studio for a consultation with a new client, she said something that really stuck with me.

One thing that I always make sure to discuss with my clients is their own body image. I find out the features they love most, but I also try to find their areas of insecurity (because no one wants their “issue” to be front and center, right?).

to love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance-oscar wilde

Here’s the thing, these “flaws” that we have? We’re the only people who see them as flaws. To everyone else, those are the things that make you who you are.

So as I spoke to her and got to know her better, I was blown away by her own personal body image. Up until that point, every woman I had had this conversation with had eagerly volunteered her problem areas-the double chin, the stomach pooch, etc. But she was different. “I want to actually look like myself in my pictures. I’ve worked really hard for the body that I have, and while it isn’t perfect, I’m proud of it.”

I’m pretty sure that I just stared at her in amazed admiration.

It’s not perfect, but it’s mine, and I’mproud of it.

The amount of self-acceptance and confidence that it takes to say something like that is staggering.

But why?

Why is that such a difficult thing for us to do? Why can’t we, of all people, see past our own perceived “flaws” and treat ourselves with some grace?

The women who share their insecurities with me? I’ll be perfectly honest, I never notice their “issues” until they’re pointed out to me, and even then, I don’t see what that woman sees when she looks in the mirror. I see a beautiful woman that I can’t wait to have in front of my lens. A woman who has a lifetime of experiences that somehow led her to me. A woman with an adoring family and group of friends who love her as she is.

But there was something else that she said that stuck with me even more.

I’ll be the first to admit, I still have a long way to go on my journey to accepting myself as I am and being confident in my own skin. 

So as she talked about her own journey to self-acceptance, I was fascinated. How can I be like that?! That’s the kind of person I want to be, but how do you get there?!

And then she said something that just clicked.

“I’ve noticed that the areas that I am insecure about are the same no matter what weight I am.”

Huh.

The areas that I was most concerned about now?

They're the exact same ones that I was insecure about years ago.

Ultimately, we can always pick ourselves apart and find our perceived flaws, but in reality, the only person who sees those "flaws" is the face staring back at you in the mirror.

Give yourself some grace. Celebrate who you are at this stage of your life. Learn to love yourself.

Finding Inspiration

You guys, running a business is hard.

While I wish I could spend all of my time shooting, the vast majority of my time is spent trying to decide the best way to market, researching the best products to offer to my clients, creating a social media strategy, paying bills, learning and growing my technical skills, writing emails, convincing myself (unsuccessfully) to blog, maintaining a website, editing for hours on end (which can be pretty exciting!), filing sales tax, and a bunch of other random tasks. Some sweet day I will hire an assistant to help run this, but until then, it is all me. Owning a business can be incredibly challenging and, at times, isolating, but it can also bring so much joy and fulfillment.

Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the daily grind and lose sight of what brought me to this point to begin with.

I'm a creative.

I create. It's what I do.

Except when I have all of that other stuff to do, too.

As a result, my creative juices have been feeling a little off lately, so I've decided to start a couple of personal projects that have no other purpose than for me to shoot just for myself. Don't get me wrong-I love, love, LOVE working with my incredible clients, and I am convinced that photographing women is my calling! But working on something, just for yourself, brings a different kind of joy. A pause from the norm, a shoot with no schedule, no deadline, no expectations. A chance to step back, breathe, and remember the wonder and curiosity that came when I got my first camera. A chance to experiment and try something completely different from what's expected.

This afternoon, I took a little time to work on one of my personal projects. And while I haven't pulled the pictures off of my memory card yet, I feel inspired. I feel that creativity start whirring back to life. And I'm realizing that in order to best create for my clients, I have to take the time to create for myself, too.

So while I sometimes feel overwhelmed with running this business, there isn't anything else I'd rather dedicate a career to. My camera lets me create magic, not only for myself, but for others, too.

And it's really hard to top that.

The moral of the story is this:

No matter how much you love what you do, make sure to take the time to do something just for yourself every now and then. 

Mother's Day Giveaway

I am so excited to be giving away a portrait session to one amazing mother for Mother's Day this year!  Here are all of the important details:

• The winner will receive:
  • Photo shoot style consultation
  • Professional hair and makeup
  • Access to the studio wardrobe
  • Custom photo shoot
  • In person reveal
  • $300 gift card to be used toward the purchase of prints or a package
• All nominations must be submitted  by 11:59 on Friday, May 12
• Nominations must be posted in the comments section of the Facebook post announcing the giveaway
• Winner will be announced via Facebook on Saturday, May 13
• Images from the photoshoot will be available to purchase but are not included in the photo shoot
• Session must be scheduled by June 30, 2017
• Contract and model release must be signed at the time of the consultation
• Gift card is not redeemable for cash

Ipsy: January Glam Bag

So here's the deal. I like girly things. I like sparkles, the occasional pair of heels (much to my husband's dismay), and I like playing with makeup (despite my lack of skills in that department). As a result, I tend to wander aimlessly down cosmetic aisles, randomly plucking a lipstick color that I think just might work for my coloring, and then find myself disappointed the second it touches my lips. Tell me that I'm not the only person with a bunch of makeup that isn't a good color. (And that's why I love photographing women's portraiture-it's a day full of makeup, gorgeous hair, and amazing outfits.)

When Birchbox came out a few years ago, I started seeing the haul that my Facebook friends were getting, and quickly signed up. The first box was awesome. There were flavored bags of tea, cute little makeup samples, and chocolate. It was a success. Slowly, my boxes seemed to become less and less "me," and the samples became tinier and more like leftovers that needed a home. Or they really thought I had terrible skin because they kept sending face serums, anti-wrinkle cream, cleaners, exfoliants, and other (semi-important but incredibly boring) samples.

Then Ipsy came out and there was a ton of buzz--you had to be on a waiting list to even get a subscription! Obviously, it must be legit.

Since Birchbox had been letting me down, I decided to make the switch. After all, they were both $10 a month and offered the same general idea, so why not? Once I filled out my style profile (which asks for your eye color, skin tone, hair color, makeup style, etc.) and got off the waiting list, we were in business. Right off the bat, Ipsy was so much more impressive than Birchbox. The samples were larger, some even full size, and you could tell that they considered my profile in choosing the samples that were sent.

I've been a subscriber since July of 2014, so I'd say that they're doing something right. In that time, I've found my two favorite mascaras, have gotten gorgeous eyeshadows, several eyeliners (liquid, crayon, and pencil), and a bunch of other fun goodies. Bonus-the sample sizes are so much bigger (some are full-sized products) and more in tune with my style, that I find myself buying fewer cosmetics (other than my foundation and mascara, which I'm committed to) because I've got so many options to choose from! And the bags that they come in each month are perfect for traveling-I use one for makeup, one for hair accessories, one for jewelry, etc.

I've considered cancelling my subscription several times, but there's something about getting that shiny pink package in the mail each month that I just can't seem to hit that cancel button. I'll admit, there are many unused samples in my bathroom closet. Some are there because they just aren't my style and others are sitting in the wings waiting for me to use up another product that I'm using now (like the bronzer that's about to finally see its day in the sun).

My January bag showed up last week, and since I've been thinking about blogging about Ipsy for months, I decided that there was no day like the present.

Take a peek!

1. Trust Fund Beauty Lip Gloss in Method to the Madness

I have been on the hunt for years for a lip color that doesn't make me look like a clown, and while I wish this was a lipstick instead of a gloss, I really love the color. It's a beautiful soft pink that just adds a hint of color without looking too over the top. It's also full-sized which is an added bonus. I approve.

Verdict: I approve.

2. Smashbox Cosmetics Camera Ready BB Cream SPF 35

I'll admit that I didn't fully read the label on this one and assumed it was a primer, so I was a bit thrown off when I opened the tube and saw that it was tinted. Smashbox makes great stuff, and this isn't an exception. It provides a light moisturized with a subtle tint, perfect for those days when you don't want to mess with foundation and powder. Teeny tiny sample. 

Verdict: I'll use it, but probably won't buy it.

3. Pacifica BLUSHIOUS in Wildrose

So this one hasn't really been used yet (other than a quick spot on my hand), so I can't give much of an opinion. My initial impression is that the color is darker than I would normally wear, but it has a peach/gold undertone to it that may make it more suited to bronzer than blush.

Verdict: I'll give it a shot when I finish up my current blush, but not holding my breath.

4. Global Beauty Care Dead Sea Wash Off Mask

This one hasn't gotten a full blown test yet (mainly because I'm too antsy to sit for 15 minutes and then have to wash something off). I did a quick patch on my hand, and it did feel softer after I washed it off, but washing it off was kind of gross. Face masks aren't usually a joy to take off, but since this one is mud, it turns into more mud, and it's super slimy. I do like that the pouch is reclosable so you don't have to use it all at once.

Verdict: This will definitely be used, but I don't typically buy masks for myself.

5. Pretty Woman Nail Polish in I'm Not a Ballerina

I wanted to like this one. I really did. I've tried to buy a pale pink in the past and ended up with a color that reminded me of Barbie shoes. I painted my thumb first just to see how it looked on...and to me, it looks more lavender than pink. I typically wear darker nail polishes, so I knew that I might not like this since it was so pastel. It's a nice spring color, and it only took two coats to get full coverage, but I'm not a fan. 

Verdict: Maybe in a different color, but not a fan of this one.

The thing that I enjoy about getting my monthly Ipsy bag is that I get to try things that I normally wouldn't and if I don't like them, I'm only out $10. The only thing is this bag that I definitely won't use (unless it's to paint my nieces' nails) is the nail polish. 

Interested in trying Ipsy for yourself? I'd love it you used my referral link to sign up! (Don't worry, it doesn't tell me who used the code. I don't like people knowing if I use their referral link...but maybe that's weird.

If you have an Ipsy subscription, tell me what you think! Do you love it? What has been the best sample that you've gotten?

Also, if you made it this far, I have 5 invites to send out that will get you off of the waiting list and you'll get a free glam bag! Just send an email to laura@laurawebb.me with "Glam Bag!" as the subject! (There are only 5 available, so once they're gone, they're gone!)

What's new?

You may have heard that I've been making some changes around here, and it just so happens that those rumors are true! In addition to adding glamour to my repertoire I've also changed up my product offerings a bit, and I think you're going to love it!

To find out what changes have been made, watch the video below and tell me what you think!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3yDBvFk_6Q