A collection of articles, interviews, fashionable musings, and photos from the adventures of sci-fi author, interviewer and fashionista Kendra L. Saunders.
This blog celebrates body positivity and body diversity!
What
made you fall in love with makeup and beauty? What made me fall in love
with the beauty industry (makeup and beauty) is the fact that it allows
so many people to truly be themselves. However you feel that day you
can create a look that perfectly represents what you are feeling at that
exact moment in time.
What
is your go-to moisturizer? Allure Medical Spa's Face Silk. It is an
amazing moisturizer that I purchase at my plastic surgeon's office in
Shelby Township, MI.
Matte
lips or lip gloss? Matte. I like a glossy lip once in awhile but I need
longevity in my line of work (professional Hairstylist\Makeup Artist).
What
time period in beauty do you most wish you could live in for a few
days? I would love to go back to the 60's and 70's when the mod look was
really in. Big doll eyes, intense graphic winged liner, simple flawless
clean complexion, just a touch of color to the cheeks. I love those
looks.
Favorite beauty IGs to follow: @mua_underdogs @jamiegenevieve @jaclynhill @itslilchaos
Best
way for fans to keep up with what you're doing? To follow all my social
networks. I try really hard to update all of them, so my
followers and subscribers know what is going on in my life right at that
moment. I upload my YouTube once or twice a week, but I'm constantly posting throughout the day to my IG and Twitter
What
is your advice for plus sized fashionistas who want to look and feel
fabulous? Be comfortable in the skin you're in. I may not be plus sized
but I am a size 8/10 and I do crossfit. Being a girl with thicker thighs
and a voluptuous booty really can make me feel like I am on the outside
of what is acceptable. I do feel now, any size, shape, and color
is acceptable and if you are confident in the skin that you are in and
love yourself, the entire world is going to love you back. Be
unapologetic about who you are, because being you is what matters most.
What
can we do, right now, to make the world a better place? Let go of being
so judgmental. We are sadly a world right now that will take something
so small that someone said or did and cut them into as small of pieces
as we can. We need to stop doing that. We need to come together as a
community and build each other up. And always give constructive criticism to help people become better and grow as a person, instead of
beating them down and making them go back into their shell. We have created
so much hate, and it's time to create more love and support.
What's your favorite...
Red lipstick? Jeffree Star Cosmetics Designer Blood
Song, currently? Lukas Graham You're Not There
Website
for buying beauty? Sephora, Ulta, and a lot of the smaller independent
brands like Lime Crime, Gerard Cosmetics, and Jeffree Star Cosmetics
Nail polish? Harmony Gelish Gel Polish in the shade Twinkle
What
made you fall in love with makeup and beauty?
I fell in love with the
art of makeup when I was about 8 or 9 years old, and I was watching my
mother apply makeup to herself and her friends. I loved the creativity
it allows you to have, but even more, I love the empowerment and
confidence you feel knowing you've artistically expressed yourself. To
me, makeup even in its simplest and purest form can evoke an emotion. And
the community surrounding makeup artist is so encouraging and
bountiful. I fell in love with the art, the community, and the soul
behind makeup.
What
is your go-to moisturizer?
My all time favorite is Purpose, it's my
hidden secret! Hypoallergenic, non-scented, and very light spf gives me
everything I need, and even blends great with my foundation palette for
my clients.
Matte
lips or lip gloss?
Ughhhhh so hard!! I'm from Miami, FL, so clear gloss
is EVERYTHING to some of my Latina friends and family. As I've grown as
an artist, I have an equal appreciation for a fierce matte lip and
mayyy apply a quick shine at the end. Can't get enough.
What
time period in beauty do you most wish you could live in for a few
days?
Although I love the NOW of makeup, as we as a community have
evolved and become so progressive with trends and support different
ideas of what is "beautiful", I do wish I could spend a few days in the
mid-century era, the 1950's. With one of my all time favorites, Ms.
Marilyn Monroe, and the love of a fuller body image on the big screen.
Favorite
beauty IGs to follow:
I just LOVE Huda Beauty!! I follow many, so it's
hard to pick a true favorite, but bold and glamorous and then clean and
modern are my favorite style to follow.
Best
way for fans to keep up with what you're doing?
I'd love for fans to
follow this amazing journey through my instagram, @makeupbynkc and my FB
page @makeupbynkc. Website launch coming soon!!!
What
is your advice for plus sized fashionistas who want to look and feel
fabulous?
BE FABULOUS!!!! I AM a plus size fashionista and I say in
order to feel beautiful, you have to believe that you ARE beautiful !
Embrace the curves; imperfections in our lives are what make us
unique. Slay no matter your size and charge the rest to the GAME!
What
can we do, right now, to make the world a better place?
We need to be
compassionate. In this day, so many emotions and opinions are shielding
the ultimate golden rule- do unto others as you would want to be done to
you. Have compassion for those who are less tolerant, as fighting combat
with combat will lead us nowhere. Stand for what you believe in and
remember the change comes from within, and starts with just one person.
What's your favorite...
Red lipstick? CHANEL ROUGE ALWAYS.
Song,
currently? Flute Down, Karl Denson- it's so random but a big dance
party. Imagine Ron Burgundy meets Bruno's instrumental band!
Depression has long been
an ugly, secretive dragon that has lurked in the shadows of humanity.
It's also been an extremely misunderstood monster.
Pop
culture has shown us extreme, cartoony versions of depression
throughout the last few decades. We've seen the crying, the meltdowns,
the chain-smoking. We've heard that depressed people need to light
candles, get a dog, take a bubble bath, go to the spa, be thankful for
what they have, stop complaining, look on the bright side, and
generally, just stop. Some of this advice comes from
professionals. Some of it doesn't. Anyone with depression has met at
least a few people who don't suffer from depression, but have more than a
little advice for people that do. It can feel like the motive behind
all of this aggressive advice is "stop being depressed, it's bumming me
out." It can become exhausting, and even more depressing, being told
that we could cure ourselves if we just sniffed the right amount of
candles... especially when we know that isn't true.
While
this post only covers a few must-haves for surviving depression, please
know it comes from a person who has and is struggling with depression
too. These are tips that I've road-tested, and continue to use every
day. I hope they can be helpful to you. You are not alone.
Movement:
Movement is so important. I used to scoff at doctors who said that
taking walks was good for depression, but that was before 2016. When
depression hit me hardest, it took everything in my body to even get out
of bed and complete small tasks at home. Suddenly, things like leaving
the house, seeing friends, or working a shift at a retail job felt
almost impossible. I was terrified of slipping back into the crisis
state I'd been in after my concussion in 2008, and felt like I would
never have energy again. Movement, walking, working out, working shifts
at Starbucks... those things were what propelled me slowly back out of
the weeks and months of sleepy, lifeless, hopeless existence.
Movement
can come in any form you can handle. Make a small daily goal for
yourself and try to stick to it, no matter what. The smaller the goal,
the better chance you have of achieving it. The more you achieve goals,
the better you'll feel. So start with something small, like walking to
the end of your street and back once a day, or walking for ten minutes
on the treadmill, or doing twenty jumping jacks a day. If you find that
it's almost bedtime and you've missed your movement goal, don't give up!
Do it then, anyway, even if it's late at night. If you absolutely
can't, just be honest and direct with yourself. "I couldn't do my
movement goal today. That's okay. I've been doing it every day, and I'll
do it tomorrow." Then, with as much power as you have in you, try to
forgive yourself and let it go. Guilt is not your friend, so try to
banish it from your life.
Support system:
Many people with depression feel alone. Depression is a strange,
invisible, mythical condition that some people will never experience or
understand. To them, depression looks like it does on TV... sad girls
crying into ice cream when they have a breakup, dramatic crying episodes
from unhappy wives, etc. But that is not always what depression looks
like. It can be quiet, even silent, and it is almost always physical in
ways that people without depression can't understand. Sometimes I have
told bosses that I was sick, because it was easier to explain how little
energy I had by saying I'd caught a germ, rather than admitting that
depression/anxiety had gotten the better of me for a day. Depression can
make you feel as exhausted as someone battling a flu, and anxiety can
make you feel as sweaty, sick to your stomach, and weak as having a bad
cold. So how can you handle those really awful days alone, when people
don't understand what you're going through?
You
shouldn't. You need a support system. Reach out to people online, reach
out to friends, or people who are suffering from depression as well.
Ask them about their experiences and advice. Reach out to a therapist,
or a counselor. Find at least one person who you can be honest with,
when you're feeling too depressed to complete a simple task, make a
phone call, or handle an important matter. If you feel like you might be
burdening your friend with this, ask them ahead of time if it's okay
for you to reach out to them when you need a support system. Consider
starting with, "I'm having a bad depression day. Can I tell you what's
going on in my head right now?" If you start off this way, they can be
honest with you about if they have time and energy to help you, and you
won't feel like you are burdening them.
Kindness:
This is a big one. Not everyone is naturally empathetic, but anyone who
is suffering from depression knows how hard life can be. Fighting a
monster like depression while also living in a kind, loving way can feel
like a challenge. But doing things for other people can be both
incredibly rewarding, and a great way to counteract the nastiness of
depression and anxiety.
So
much of depression revolves around guilt. There's guilt for why you're
depressed, for when you're depressed, for the things that you miss
because you're depressed, for the people you've let down, etc.
Depression is one big ugly ball of guilt. A great way to shatter that
guilt is with kindness and giving. Take time to send a nice message to a
friend, even if it's something tiny. Send a link to a funny meme you
know your friend will like. Pay for the person's coffee behind you at
Starbucks. Say hello to an older person who looks lonely in line at the
grocery store. Send a friend $5 as a surprise, just because. Volunteer
at an animal shelter. Ask a friend if you can dog-sit for them for free,
just to get some awesome dog-cuddling time in. Taking charge and
helping someone else in their time of need can short circuit your own
anxiety or depression temporarily, allowing you to concentrate on
something outside of your own brain. Small acts of kindness help you to
feel stronger, happier, and more connected with others. It also reminds
you, even in a small way, that you are a good person, worthy of getting
better and feeling better.
I
hope these things help you. While this is a very short list, these are
some of the most important tools I've used for fighting back at
depression. If you need someone to talk to, you can reach out to me, or
you should call 212-673-3000, or another crisis/depression hotline. Be
good to yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be forgiving of yourself. You are
not alone.
Recently my friend was kind enough to gift me with the Rock the Runway eyeshadow palette by Mary Kay in exchange for an honest review and demo. I was a bit unsure at first about using a blue color, as I very rarely wear blue tones, but I agreed to give it a try.
Happy to say that not only did I like the blue, but I LOVED it! The color payoff is good, the color stays well throughout the day, and the two blue shades are both very flattering on pale skin types. I can't say how it swatches on darker skin, but I'm impressed how it looks on very very fair/pale skin like mine! It's not easy to find blue tones that look good on someone as pale as I am.
Here's some pictures of Rock the Runway, worn with Moonchild Glowkit over it, at New York Fashion Week!
Whether you're already a fan, though, or still need to read the book, I thought it would be fun to "talk" to Griffin Valentino, alien pop star and fashion obsessive, about fashion. Perfect timing, with New York City Fashion Week upon us!
Read on for some spacey fashion talk...
Q: Have you been to any runway shows yet?
GV: No, unfortunately I have not, but you can invite me to one, if you'd like. And please tell Karl Lagerfeld that he can invite me to Chanel whenever he wants. I'll sit front row for him.
Q: Is Chanel the design house you'd most like to attend a runway show for?
GV: Well, they're Chanel, aren't they? I'd love to see Dior, too, and Balmain. And Versace. McQueen. And Armani! There's a lot of them I'd like to see.
Q: What designers do you like wearing?
GV: I'm a famous pop star, so I only wear the best clothes. Whatever's best, I'll put it on. And I like anything that David Bowie would approve of.
Q: What are your personal style rules?
GV:
If you like a
color, you can wear it. Even better, if you like loads of colors,
you can wear them all!
Anything can
sparkle, including your shoes, and your underpants. And your hair.
Eyeliner gives
you rock edge.
Become Karl
Lagerfeld's muse so you can get loads of free clothes! (Still
working on this one, myself)
You don't have
to be a girl to wear clothes that are meant for girls. Do you
honestly think David Bowie would let such a trivial detail stop him
from being fabulous? Speaking of Bowie:
Always ask
yourself if David Bowie would wear it. If he would, you are clearly
doing something right. Better yet, ask yourself if I would wear it!
Prints are
nice. Loads of prints together are even better!
Purple sweaters
are very stylish, no matter what Daisy Kirkwood tells you.
High heeled
boots will make you look taller and sexier. If it works for Prince,
it works for you.
Wear a necklace
with something that reminds you of home. It will keep you centered
and give you energy when you're feeling sad or tired.
Returning to Columbus, OH last week for a visit was a great chance to rediscover the colorful, eccentric vibe of one of the Midwest's most fashionable cities. It also reminded me of a few important aspects of the connection between fashion and life:
*It's okay to dress for personal expression
In Columbus, the artsy people of all ages display their style as an exclamation mark of their own expression, rather than a means of fitting into a narrow idea of flattering, professional, or average. Of course, there are plenty of people wearing subtle outfits and uniforms, but you see more than a small amount of people who wear bright colors, crazy patterns, huge accessories, neon hair, baggy vintage dresses, oversized hats, and shoes meant to garner attention.
There's a freedom that comes in dressing how you want, regardless of whether it's considered flattering to your body type, or appropriate for your age. It's scary at first, of course, but if wearing a color you love, or oversized plastic accessories, or 80s jean jackets, or clashing patterns, or a design worthy of a couch from the '70s is something that makes you feel like your best self, it might be time to go for it.
Conventional wisdom tells you to dress in colors and shapes that are flattering for your body. This is an important talent to learn if you're wanting to achieve a slimmer (or bigger!) silhouette. There's no harm in trying on all different types of clothes until you can achieve that desired look! But it's not your only option. If you truly want to wear clothes that you've been told you shouldn't because of your coloring, age, or size, there is great freedom in doing it anyway... and, like the people of Columbus, doing so with confidence. That confidence becomes infectious over time, and allows you to experiment more, carve your OWN image out for yourself, and even inspire others.
So why not give it a try?
*It's okay to love fashion at any size
One thing that really struck me during this visit to Columbus was that women of all sizes walked through the artsy Short North area in their favorite dresses, heels, boots, jeans, accessories, or shorts with an equal sense of confidence and vigor for life. It's different than in some cities, where plus size or even average sized women feel uncomfortable walking among the glitzy, well dressed Friday night crowd. In Columbus, you see people of all shapes and sizes laughing, enjoying their lives, and partying together. I've seen people in other cities that seemed to send out an apologetic message above their heads, something along the lines of, "I'm sorry I'm fat! I'm on my way to the gym, though, I promise!", even as they dash about or hide in crowds. I've been that girl, myself.
During my time in Columbus, I remembered that it's okay to be a size 14 and still enjoy life, unapologetic. It's okay to be a size 14 and have a drink with girlfriends, wear a short dress, and eat a delicious meal in front of people.
*Dry shampoo and a topknot can be your best friend
When it's hot as balls out, it's totally okay to spray half a can of dry shampoo on your hair, and pull everything into a topknot. No one will judge you, and you'll feel a lot more comfortable in the sun. This dry shampoo by amika is especially amazing, as is this volumizing powder by Got2B. Enjoy!
(With my best friend Dusty, for her birthday! <3 )
Sometimes being an author is hard. After all, you're almost textbook crazy (you make up conversations and get really upset about people who don't exist), and you get paid very very little for the amount of time you put into your work. It's a love thing, I guess, and sometimes the love can hurt. Recently life has been a bit harder than normal in my little world, and I've spent time battling real life monsters and villains like depression, anxiety, distance from friends, and the loss of loved ones. It makes battling book monsters even harder, sometimes.
In all of this, though, I've tried to keep in mind that the books I've loved in my life, the ones that have really changed me as a person, were written by people who probably felt the same way at some point.
This is why we write. This is why we give up our free time, why we are frequently a little lonely. This is why we stay up late. This is why we keep going, even when people hurt us desperately by saying ignorant, hurtful things about our passions. This is why we don't give up even when we're told to get a "real job." So thankful to read this today, truly. I hope this book and the rest in this series will continue to touch people in this way. There's no greater reward as a writer.
Music, color, spiritual theories, sci-fi, feminism and glitter swirl together in the kaleidoscope that is Eriel Indigo. Her music is catchy, and her presence rooted firmly between goofy/fun-loving/space-minded, and the deeper, more soulful aspects of life. Recently, I had the chance to chat with her via email a bit about her new song, Born an Angel (from the upcoming GALACTIVATE), as well as the beautiful, surreal world she lives in. Read on...
What is your chosen battle tactic against anxiety or negativity?
I am a very empathic, sensitive creature so I do have experience with
anxiety and sadness. Personally I think it's first important to do a lot
of self inquiry to discover what your highest excitement is; what you
love doing, whether it's creative or logical and engage with it as much
as possible, while setting the intention to utilize your passion to be
in service to the world.
Other than that, meditation,
kundalini yoga/breathwork, sounding/tapping, dance or any kind of
cardio exercise that floats your boat, healthy human touch and animal
snuggles, reconnecting with nature and striving to trust and create
meaningful connections with others who inspire and support you.
Great advice. I feel like not enough artists talk about struggling with these things, but we as women especially tend to hide it so we don't appear anything less than strong. Onto another topic: Like
me, you love scifi and are creating your own artistic statements in the
realms of the speculative. What do you find yourself going back to
again and again for science fiction inspiration?
Ah! It's true, I am a scifi junky;;) I don't really need to go to any
content for "scifi" inspiration because really the work I create that
might seem like scifi to others is actually quite real to me. I really
do identify emotionally more with other planetary cultures and sentient
beings (yes this may sound crazy to some) so it's the information I have
gleaned from these other realms that fuels the perhaps more scifi
seeming portions of my work:)
I do love so many scifi films though. To me they just seem closer to reality ;;)
As an add-on have you seen the M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming music video series?! One of the dopest bodies of work I have EVER seen.
I haven't seen that, but I definitely will check it out. I know M83 has really pushed the limits with art and music for quite some time. Can you tell us a little about what to expect from your new song?
"Born an Angel" is off of my upcoming debut album GALACTIVATE. This
track is more in the Earthly and autobiographical than space pop
lyrically, but musically is still pretty trippy with a lot of vocal cuts
and electro sparkle;;)
I
love seeing a throwback to trip-hop, as a fan of Sneaker Pimps and some
of the lesser known experimental artists of the 90s. Who are some of
your favorite trip-hop artists?
Oh
yeah, gimme alllll the trip hop, baby. There's so much good stuff;
Portishead, obviously holds the crown, Lovage, Cibo Matto, Goldfrapp,
Sneaker Pimps, Bjork, Massive Attack, Morcheeba, Tricky, Esthero, DJ
Shadow, RJD2... I mean, we could go on for a while here.
I'll have to look some of those up that I haven't heard yet! What is the best way for your fans to reach/contact you on social media?
What essentials should a woman pack for a festival?
Well,
my love that depends on the festival! One doesn't really need
protective goggles in the woods but if you catch yourself in the desert
in a seven hour dust storm, you had better hope you have those blessed
things.
Essential for
every festival: Sparkles, if you're a sparkle pony, good dancin' shoes,
headlamp, water bottle, warm and cool steezy attire, wetnaps, backpack,
friends, mind expanding treats or just some nice snacks to share::D
But
really the ultimate guide to what you need at a festival is most
certainly Burning Man Radical Self Reliance Packing List. Really a great
read for any camper;;)
Love this. I'd like to try Burning Man one day, really. Onto another important topic: What is the best way for a woman to get in touch with her sexual power?
Well we are a diverse bunch so I venture to say it's different for
anyone, but I would recommend doing some reading on tantra, sex magic
and self pleasuring meditation exercises for empowerment and getting to
know your own body.
Other than that, more self inquiry on what makes one feel healthy and
powerful sexually. This could take form in so many ways. I have quite a
spiritual experience of sexuality and I think it is important to develop
one's self in this way but you know, there's also BDSM, polyamory, role
playing, fetish, furries and Goddess only knows what else out there to
explore so I say do your research, be safe and have at it! You never
know where your own personal ecstasy might be hiding.
Favorite lipstick ever?
Well, I don't love to applaud companies but hot damn is matte MAC Ruby Woo the most perfect red a girl could hope for.
Thanks Kendra! Sending you giant pink and turquoise bliss bubbles of love::)
It's been an interesting journey, writing Engaged to an Alien Pop Star. This is the first ever sequel that I've written over the years, even after writing about 8-10 books (including poetry collections).
Sequels in a trilogy are already hard enough, when you think about it. A sequel must keep old readers interested even though they know everyone. It must keep new readers interested, even though they don't know anyone. Oh, and it also needs to set events up for a third book. No big deal!
This book was challenging in more ways than just by being a sequel, though. I started writing an early version of it almost two years ago, the day after I finished Dating an Alien Pop Star. After about 70 pages of enjoyable, funny content, I realized that what I had written was better suited for a third book than a second, and I temporarily scrapped the project. After all, real life was taking over, and I had just written two books back to back in the space of about 9 months (Unlove Spell, and Dating an Alien Pop Star).
I spent the first half of 2015 living in Columbus, OH. The art scene there was cool, the food was great, the people were fascinating and colorful. I worked as a waitress at a dive bar, soaking in all of the grease, rampant sexual harassment, and crazy drama that the place had to offer. It wasn't a great job, maybe, but I really enjoyed the work, and it left me plenty of time every day for writing.
My writing during that time was awash with the new life I was living, with the people I'd met, the surreal nightclub experiences I took part in, the daydreams I was allowing to grow bigger and bigger in my head. My writing became both introspective, but also maniacally huge, reaching out into the very tendrils of my known universe.
The second half of 2015 was spent in my favorite city in the world, New York City. I soaked up life there, too. Every day was a new story, a new experience. I didn't write much while I was there, but I did sign the dotted line on something very exciting... a contract for Dating an Alien Pop Star, the first book in the Alien Pop Star series.
After a 48 hour editing bender that launched me from couch to couch in various Starbucks locations across Brooklyn, and then to a red high table in a quiet Five Guys location near Union Square, I realized something.
I needed to write a sequel. Within a few months.
In early January, I had to make a difficult decision and return to New Hampshire to see my doctors here about a sinus infection, and write Engaged. Depression and bad health colored everything, though, including the writing. Some scenes leaped onto the page, others crawled. Some had to be dragged like a cat on a leash. I had to restart the book several times, delete chapters at a time, carve things up and move them around. It was stressful even before the deadline loomed, but especially after.
The revision stage is one of my favorite stages, because it takes whatever you managed to write, and makes it amazing. I'm so thankful to be in that stage now, and for the first time since the beginning of the year, I'm looking forward to writing again. The third book will surely be a challenge. I can't expect it to be as fast, fun, and super easy to write as the first book. But I also don't think it will be the stressful learning experience that the sequel was.
Even after a lifetime of wanting to be an author, over ten years of hard work to make that happen, and five years of professional writing experience, there's always something new to learn. This book was not like any of the others, especially the book before it, but I can't wait for the adventure the next book takes me on.
Self image has never been an easy topic for me. As a child, I was always a little heavier than other children, and my struggles with low confidence started early, as chronicled here.
Over the years, I've dealt with an eating disorder and countless days of low confidence. Very, very low. Depression tends to make low confidence even worse, and the two issues can spiral into an ugly, overwhelming mess. You feel you have nothing to dress up for, and then you feel that dressing up is too much work. In turn, you feel bad about yourself, and it continues on and on. You lose all hope of having a red carpet day again.
After all, the bad thoughts say, you have nothing to celebrate, and no one will want to celebrate you. If you were a stronger/smarter/better/more beautiful person, you would have the strength to put yourself together. Look how easy it is for other people!
But sometimes you need to break out your favorite lipstick or mascara, even when you don't plan to go anywhere, or see anyone. Sometimes there's magic in the physicality of setting out your favorite 'getting ready' tools. Sometimes there's magic in the right black eyeliner.
Lately I've fought back at low confidence and depression through a variety of means, but one of them has been busting out my favorite makeup and jewelry and getting red-carpet ready. Any day can be a red carpet day, if you feel like you need one. Get dressed up. Take some great pictures. Wear your amazing outfit just for sitting at your computer to write, or draw, or meditate, or bake a pie, or watch your favorite movie.
You can have a red carpet day at 2am or 6am or noon or 7pm. You can do it ANY time you want.
Here's a few pictures from recent "red carpet days."
Every now and again you bump into a social media account that just changes your life; whether it's a Twitter account that makes you laugh until it hurts, a Youtuber who gives the actual best tutorials on hairstyles, or an Instagram star who makes you want to up your makeup game, sometimes you just find a go-to favorite. For me, one of those go-to favorites is Martina Gutfreund of instagram/enchanted.forest
Martina is many things- part modern fairy, part hippie, part artist. She creates paintings, jewelry, and beautiful pictures that she shares on Instagram, all from her stunning Canadian homeland. Her 25k+ followers know they can look to her for inspiration in magic, purple hair, great lipstick, and brightly colored paintings, and there's a sense of easy girl power about her circle of friends and social media presence. And she loves sci-fi! (Super excited about that, as a science fiction author myself). I reached out to her for an interview, and we talked about cultivating a social media brand, spirituality, her favorite model, and how she upkeeps her gorgeous hair...
I’ve
been following your Instagram for quite some time, and have found
myself having the following conversation with friends, “Look at
this… isn’t this beautiful? This girl is amazing.” You’ve
curated such a beautiful, peaceful social media presence, both
because of the content of your pictures AND the color palette. What
is your secret to making a cohesive Instagram presence?
I
definitely started my theme from the very beginning and improved the
quality of what I was posting over time by browsing through popular
blogs and other Instagram accounts. It really helps when you can take
inspiration from other popular photos and re-create them in your own
unique way! I figured I wanted to share the things that I found most
important in my life, which are art & the environment, so most of
my photos generally relate to those themes. I’m not sure why my
colour palette is so cohesive, I’m not the best at editing so I
will give all of the credits to my camera and the Valencia/Aden
filters. The best tip I would give, is to choose a theme that you
seriously enjoy in your own life, so that creating the photos never
becomes a chore… the only times I struggle are when I can’t find
the time to paint enough new stuff!
You
are very interested in spiritual matters. Do you have any rituals for
happiness or peace when you are feeling stressed out?
To
be honest, I have very strange spiritual views; they can appear very
dry to most outsiders, but I find a lot of comfort in my ideas of
existence. Usually when I’m getting overly stressed, I just remind
myself that I’m a tiny blip of nothing in the midst of more nothing
in the grand scheme of things, really what I’m going through is
just another incredibly insignificant moment within the space-time
continuum. It sounds a bit dark and pessimistic, but man the universe
is immense and there is so much more you could be doing than spending
your energy stressing over little things. I’m not sure if I’m
making much sense at this point, but being so incredibly
infinitesimal tends to put things into perspective.
What
is body confidence to you, and what do you do on days where you feel
less confident?
Ahhhh
the never ending struggle of body confidence! This is a tough one for
me, as I have really only begun taking confidence in my appearance
and personality in the last 2 years or so. It is a constant battle to
stay positive about those aspects and truly love myself, I’m not
even sure how to define what that would look like if I were to ever
achieve it. I suppose not putting myself down would be a good start;
I usually deal with it by throwing on a flattering outfit and doing
some stellar makeup. It’s not the best solution, but it’s
something that has always worked for me… I know it’s a Band-Aid
more than anything else, and that can be bad when those feelings
build up over the years of being covered up and pushed aside.
Stellar makeup and a standby favorite outfit do it for me too. No shame there! Your
hair is gorgeous. What do you use to upkeep the color?
Ooooh
noooo, not this question! Well, I dye it about once every 2 months
with Manic Panic dyes, but it’s really my washing habits that keep
the colour. I wash the actual dreaded part once every 10 days or so
with a really gentle dread shampoo and lukewarm water, so the colour
lasts foreeever. My non-dreaded section gets a lot more attention
though since I hate it when my hair feels greasy, so it’s usually
really faded compared to the dreads.
(Some of Martina's beautiful creations)
You make jewelry, but do
you have a favorite jewelry designer? Clothing designer?
Hmm,
I would have to say my favourite jewelry designer is Studiolil on
etsy (her insta is just @Studiolil ) she makes the most beautiful
septum rings! I bought my first one from her when her shop was just
starting to gain traction around 2 years ago, and I am so impressed
with how much her work and business has grown since then. I can’t
say I specifically have a favourite clothing designer; I do a lot of
shopping in second-hand stores or re-purpose old unwanted items from
family members. I really admire anybody who sews or crochets their
clothes from scratch, it such an amazing skill set to have. A few of
my favourite instagrammers that do this are @cosmicsun_ &
@voodoufairy & @maya_gipsygreen … they’re all so talented!
You
live in Canada, and in the winter, it looks like you live in a snowy
fairytale. How do you keep to your aesthetic in winter?
It’s
a little tougher to keep up in the winter, since most of the flora
and fauna disappear under the snow and I can’t find as many
interesting things to photograph. I try my best to travel to the
Rocky Mountains on a regular basis, since it’s so incredibly
gorgeous there year-round. I guess things just get a little less
colourful for those months, I really love the beauty winter, but it’s
that dreadful grey period that kills me. Right before the snow and
right after the snow…everything looks so dead and lifeless - it’s
honestly a little depressing for me during those few weeks.
(Just try to tell me that this isn't a winter fairytale!)
What
are your go-to natural remedies and tricks for when you have a cold?
I
am a stubborn nut when it comes to sickness, I will do all it takes
to let my body fight it off without any help. I recently tried that
and ended up sick for 3 weeks; eventually a pretty little hospital
trip made me take some antibiotics… not kidding when I say
stubborn! Perhaps it’s a sign that I should start to use some mild
herbal remedies?
Ouch! Yes, herbal remedies for sure... Sambucol, vitamin C, and Zycam are some of my standbys. Who
are your female heroes?
I’m
not really sure how to answer this one, I want to come up with some
big name that people will resonate with, but all I can really think
of is Chantelle Winnie. She is an international model from Canada who
was born with Vitiligo and has become such a positive role model for
anybody struggling with low confidence related to appearance or
bullying. I mean she’s obviously freakin’ gorgeous, but I love
her level of maturity and depth when she’s speaking about
contemporary issues – definitely somebody to check out if you
haven’t heard of her!
What
is the greatest life advice a woman has ever given you?
Yikes!
I don’t have a very fantastic memory when it comes to the
specifics. I suppose I can definitely look to my sweet Mama for the
best life advice, she’s the only one that kept telling me to stay
true to myself and pursue what I’m passionate about. I highly doubt
that I would still be painting and creating if it wasn’t for her
constant support many years ago… believe it or not, I was actually
trying to go into business school before pursuing the arts.
What
would you like to say to all of your many, many fans who follow you,
create art inspired by you, and love your pictures?
A
lot. Too much, so get ready for some soft cheese, because what you
have done for me has melted my heart! You guys have no idea how much
my perspective on both my career and self-image has changed since
gaining a presence on social media. I’m quite an introvert so I
never had much outside input on my work besides family and a handful
of peers, having the encouragement and support from thousands of
people has really helped me break out of that shell. It feels amazing
to finally have the confidence to bring my work to festivals and
display it for so many people to see… and to actually be able to
talk to strangers (that has been a struggle my whole life, but
interacting with all of the beautiful souls via the internet has
helped my socializing skills immensely – people are pretty cool I
guess!) hopefully it will all stick for a lifetime! I will be forever
grateful for the endless kindness I’ve been shown, and am on a
mission to internalize that and continue to pass it on to others for
as long as I can. I want everybody to feel that they don’t need to
put up walls, and can be comfortable with who they are… so thank
you all for showing me so much love, you’re absolutely amazing! <3
Fun
questions:
If
someone wrote a science fiction or fantasy book based on your life,
what would you want them to name you?
Ha!
This is a great question since I’m a huge fantasy and sci-fi fan -
I’m going to have to choose wisely. First off, I’d obviously be
some sort of weird creature, because I’m only human in this
particular reality… hmmmm. Zorbina of Blagdalon! Blagdalon being my
home planet, which is covered with small tree caves that each hold a
different dimension within them. I think I’d probably be covered in
lots of eyeballs and would resemble a sea cucumber or starfish…
Zorbina seems to suit that!
Pretend
MAC cosmetics is going to make a lipstick for you. What color would
it be?
It
would be a pink & purple pastel glitter galaxy!
Finally,
what is your current favorite:
lipstick:
I mostly wear Sephora’s nude shade of lipstick with a darker liner
underneath; I’ve been trying to rock a more natural look lately
So yesterday I had a little run-in with an annoying stranger on Facebook, and I posted about it. The post was picked up by Buzzfeed and spread rapidly on the internet. For some reason, though, this morning the post had vanished.
I'm uploading it here, for your sharing and laughing pleasure.
Stranger guy sent me a bunch of annoying "hi" "hi sexy" "what's up?" messages, which I didn't answer, plus pictures of his face, over the span of about three months. Over lunch yesterday I had this conversation with him:
THIS is why you don't mess with a feminist sci-fi writer! ;)
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