Today we’d like to introduce you to Aurora Sanchez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I initially started my makeup blog and makeup Instagram account as a way to overcome self-esteem and body image issues. I never wanted to get my photo taken. I hated it when friends would pull cameras out to take a picture when we were out and I didn’t realize until later that I had internalized a lot of shame and body image issues.
The makeup Instagram account became a way for me to push myself out of my comfort zone and learn how to tackle self-esteem issues at my own pace. I chose makeup because it was something I loved already and if I was going to show up consistently, I wanted to choose something that I would enjoy doing.
The social media space is pushing into video content being the norm and I was definitely not comfortable being on video so it’s another step in the self-acceptance journey that I’m going on through makeup. What really has given me the confidence boost now is looking back and seeing how much I’ve improved not only in makeup skills but in the confidence I have in photos and videos.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s definitely not a smooth road. I don’t think it ever is for most people and I still have a long, long way to go. The most difficult aspect for me was settling on just one niche and one way I wanted to put myself out there. I wanted to do and try so many different things. I’ve gone back and forth a lot on what kind of content I wanted to focus on and show and I’ve just now settled into a groove.
For some people, they settle on a type of content and find success consistently but my trajectory was not that. I was learning a lot about myself and now that I have a better idea of who I am, I know how I want to show up, There’s been a lot of detours and missteps in the journey and there is still a long way to go but I wouldn’t trade that because it also led me to learn the invaluable things about myself.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a beauty content creator but more specifically I use beauty as a kind of expression. I grew up in a very strict household and I never felt free enough to express how I was really feeling. It is the oddest thing but when I put on makeup and a costume and be someone else, I feel I can authentically express feelings I’ve been holding back.
When I look back on the road that I’ve traveled (and I’ve still got a ways to go), that’s what I want to see. I want to see that I’ve created art that has encapsulated so much thought and feeling and meaning that’s difficult to express in words and made a safe space not only for me but for others to feel and have fun.
What matters most to you? Why?
Being in the beauty space, it’s pretty much inevitable, in my opinion, to deal with body image issues, insecurities, and internalized shame. It’s really unfortunate that society as a whole has made people feel like they aren’t beautiful for any reason.
I feel really strongly that everyone has a beauty that’s all their own and just because it doesn’t fit into a mold that society has prescribed, it doesn’t mean they’re not beautiful. It makes me really sad when people say they think they look bad or hate a feature of themselves and that’s why they want to learn makeup. If makeup helps people feel more confident, I love that but I wish we didn’t live in a society that makes people feel ashamed for the way their body naturally is. Makeup, at the end of the day, is just one tool we have for self-expression. I feel really strongly that makeup should fit how we live and want to present ourselves and not that we have to mold and contort ourselves to what mainstream beauty thinks we should look like.
Contact Info:
- Email: auroradoesstuff@gmail.com
- Website: auroradoesstuff.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auroradoesstuff/?hl=en
