Prevention vs Correction

Our skin engages in a constant cycle of repair and regeneration along with all our other organs. The skin is the largest organ of our body and rejuvenates every 28 days but as we get older the rejuvenation cycle begins to slow down and takes longer for the repair and regeneration to take place. 

Collagen and hyaluronic acid are compounds in our skin and other connective tissues. Hyaluronic acid is something our body naturally produces and is needed to bind collagen with elastin, which are fibres that give our skin it's stretch and elasticity. Our body breaks down and recycles collagen and hyaluronic acid on a continuous basis but as we start to age (along with other elements) the recycling process begins to slow down and eventually begin to diminish which will result in connective tissue degradation. This will manifests as wrinkles, thinning cartilage, brittle hair and other common signs of aging. 

By the age of 40, this breakdown in collagen and hyaluronic acid significantly increases and is primarily related to natural aging factors. The repair and regeneration cycle takes place every 4 weeks, then moves to 6 weeks then to 9 weeks and if we don't take measures to boost the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid to reduce its breakdown at an early age, then when our skin increases in its breakdown it will take a lot longer for it to be repaired. 

Between the ages of 28 and 35, due to nutritional and environmental factors the skin breaks down a lot earlier resulting in pre-matured wrinkles and saggy skin. Even though, this process cannot be avoided, it definitely can be slowed down to maintain a healthy collagen balance in pre-matured and aging skin.  One way we do this is by treating the skin with anti-aging products before the cycle starts slowing down, not when or after the cycles slows down. When we start using anti-aging Skincare products at an early stage our skin will get used to the ingredients in them that boost and produce these cells and maintain the speed of cell regeneration longer than usual. 

Developing a skincare regimen at an early age is what fosters the health of good skin throughout your life. There will be moments in your life when your skin will react to stress or poor diet or bad products and will breakout, but with the knowledge and practice of having a balanced skin cleansing regimen, those moments will only be short lived. Always remember, It Is Better to Prevent Than to Correct. Take good care of your skin from an early age and reap the benefits of reserving its youthfulness. 

My Life of Beauty

Throughout her life, Nadia Stephens has had an interest for beauty and fashion. Growing up and watching her mother as a fashion designer impacted Nadia’s life in unimaginable ways. “She made some of the best dresses and tailored suits that I’ve seen to this day and she had a real passion for what she did”. As a result a similar flame of passion has been lit in Nadia in the pursuit of her own goals and dreams. Like her mother, Nadia has developed a natural talent. As a little girl, she learned quickly what it meant to think and dream big. 

Nadia has an instilled desire to see women look and feel beautiful not just on the outside, but also on the inside. One of the values she has learned very early in life that has kept her motivated and resolute in her goals is this: “it’s not how beautiful you are on the outside that counts, but it’s what’s on the inside that makes your beauty shine”. Nadia has envisioned her future from a child and she has known right from the start that the beauty industry was what she wanted to be involved in. 

Her journey as a Makeup Artist began as she would watch music videos on TV of stars like Dianna Ross and fashion icons the King of Pop Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ and endless beauty such as the late Whitney Houston. “The colors, shades, tones and the transformation of makeup really intrigued me…so, I began to explore”.

At the age of 17, she started to do makeup for singers and performers at her high school talent shows. As she witnessed the transformation and confidence that sparked from the eyes of her school mates from her work; it further cemented her passion to pursue becoming the best at what she does…making people look and feel beautiful. By 19, Nadia enrolled in a beauty school. She went to Marvel Beauty School, and studied aesthetics and makeup. “After performing my first pedicure on a client and seeing the satisfaction it gave her and how amazing she felt thereafter, I knew then, I was on the right path”. Nadia has worked in several high-end spas as an Aesthetician and makeup artist. She has also worked for the top makeup company in the world, MAC Cosmetics, and became one of the most well known makeup artist in her region. Nadia has done numerous photo shoots for fashion designers and worked with the best photographers in the city. She has done makeup for fashion shows, music videos, TV shows, websites and fashion magazines. Her latest work was doing makeup for Miss Jamaica as she went off to Las Vegas to compete for the crown of Miss Universe 2012. Nadia has had articles done in magazines on her work and has been interviewed on entrepreneur websites for the fashion industry, namely Expose Entertainment magazine and Media Hype Entertainment. Nadia is a Personal Makeup Artist for performing artists, local celebrities and for people who just want to go and enjoy themselves for a night on the town. She makes herself available for all sorts of events and she finds joy in what she does and has fun doing it. She has gained quite the notoriety that has set her apart from other Makeup artist in her local area. 

Being in this industry has opened her eyes to see peoples’ obsession with the way they look and how they are perceived by others. She has developed a keen sense of awareness of each client she comes across as a result. Also, being an African American she has known what it is to appreciate natural beauty in its entire splendor. As mentioned, Nadia is fully aware and reinforces life’s values that: “real beauty comes from within”. But what exactly does all this mean? We all have the potential to begin living healthy and holistic lifestyles in the areas of our: body, mind and spirit. “I perceive that once we all grasp this approach to living, it will translate in a positive self-concept, hence, inner beauty and the love for nature and its creations. Working for MAC has allowed me to fully grasp this concept as I dealt with customers who would come to the counter day after day looking for a complete transformation, because they looked and felt ugly. They thought that wearing clumps of makeup would solve that problem. Clearly, makeup alone doesn’t fix this epidemic in our culture today. As consumers we fail to look deeper”. 

Nadia sees makeup as an art form. She is big on engaging her clients which takes their mind off the process, but are captivated by the end results. She always says: “the face is my canvas and my colors and brushes help me to create a masterpiece. It is a way to enhance your natural beauty, not detract from it.” She not only sees it as an art form, but also as a means of therapy as well. “No matter how much makeup a woman buys or how much she wears, if she doesn’t take care of herself emotionally and physically, it won’t do her any good.”

Everything that Nadia speaks of concerning beauty, she practices in her own life. Nadia has studied and has gained tremendous knowledge of nutrition and the science of life, which is known as Ayurveda in Sanskrit. Due to her passion, she started her own company called: Design to Beautify Inc. which has become the objective for her business. Her business is to create a facility where people would come and have everything done that has to do with achieving true beauty from the inside out. In this Health & Beauty Wellness Spa there will be a nutrition centre, organic grocery store, a fitness gym fully equipped with state of the art machines, a pool, a sauna, a makeup and photo studio, an aesthetic spa and a hair salon. It will also be a Bed & Breakfast to allow clients to spend the weekend for relaxation at its best. It will be a one-stop-shop for the health and beauty market. She most certain has her life all planned out.

Her passion is clear and she sure has the motivation to pursue her dreams. Nadia truly possesses the ability to corner the beauty, fashion and health industry. She believes that this is her path in life and the gift she must give back.  She plans to do this one client at a time. Bringing each person to see their true natural beauty, which comes from within while connecting and being aligned with the Creator, our Lord God.