All women are beautiful. That’s what Alexis Wolfer, founder of TheBeautyBean, wants the world to know. Think about that whether you’re already a beauty professional or student working their way into the industry.
Beauty Academy gathered more insights from Alexis Wolfer here:
One of the things that really sets your blog apart is that, aside from your discussions on beauty, you also emphasize a positive mindset. Why is the motivational component important for beauty enthusiasts as well?
I fail to believe that you have to make women feel crappy about themselves in order to sell them things. I want to build women up, to empower them to own their worth, and to encourage them to live their healthiest, most beautiful life. I suffered with an eating disorder in my past, so I deeply understand the importance of confidence, self-worth, and self-love. And I want other women (ALL other women) to feel beautiful and treat their bodies with love and respect.
You also utilize celebrity testimonials. Why are their words so influential over the way people (especially younger people) see standards of health and beauty?
For better or worse (most likely worse!), celebrities get a lot of media coverage, which makes them more influential, which gets them more media coverage. It’s a vicious cycle. Would I rather that young people turn to the powerful, strong, beautiful women in their own lives for inspiration? Absolutely! And I most definitely encourage that. But there are times I try to disrupt the entire system, and other times where I try and work within it – and our celebrity coverage is the latter.
The fact is, when we interview Serena Williams and she talks to us about body image and confidence and then she tweets the post to her fans, we’re able to touch more lives and show more women the power of positivity. It’s not because I think Serena has it figured out. Or because I think she’s “better.” But it’s because people listen to her. So when we can get her (and others!) to open up about “Real Beauty,” we can make a bigger, positive impact.
What inspires you to continue conversations about beauty with the world?
I want to live in a world in which the thought of starving oneself in order to fit some unrealistic ideal of beauty no longer exists. I want to live in a world where women take the time they waste obsessing over the size of their jeans or the calories in their breakfast and instead spend it on whatever it is they’re passionate about. I want to change the conversations women are having with themselves in the mirror. I want to continue to improve the conversations I have with myself in the mirror!
You have a column called Makeup Free Mondays. What is your philosophy behind this? How does that fit in with your overall philosophy on health and beauty?
We all obviously have a deep love for our makeup and beauty goods. We love testing out the latest lip lacquers, rocking the newest nail craze and figuring out the best way to tackle the turquoise trend. We proudly pamper with the best of them and beautify gleefully.
That being said, we ultimately value inner beauty and wellness considerably more than we do our smudge-free mascara (even though we certainly hold a place in our hearts for Chanel’s Inimitable Mascara). It’s why we steer clear of body-altering airbrushing, make a commitment not to digitally alter any in-house photography, and place an emphasis on health, fitness, and wellness rather than weight loss.
We designed The Beauty Bean to promote better body image and prevent eating disorders, but promoting self-confidence is more than just showing that your value is not determined by a number on a scale. It is also about showing you Real Beauty: how to healthfully treat your body and how to be comfortable in your own skin.
If one of your readers were so inspired by your blog that they decided to pursue studies in the areas of beauty, cosmetology, etc. what are the things you would hope they most take away from your work?
I would want them to always start with the assumption that all women are beautiful.