Oh! Guide: Unlocking the Secrets to Self Love through Beauty

Beauty Defineis a platform that explores self-development: health, beauty, femininity, education, career, faith, and more. Ernscie Augustin, a lawyer and entrepreneur, created Beauty Define to inspire girls and women to believe that ‘you are fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Psalm 139:14).

Tell us about yourself.

I am a lawyer in the United States. I currently practice in the area of elder law and probate litigation.

I grew up in Southwest Florida. I am a daughter of Haitian immigrants. I learned a lot about myself through my spiritual journey with God and also my culture. I learned it’s important to believe in yourself and to envision the future you.

Tell us about the name, Beauty Define!

The name means so much to me! I spent a year meditating on the same scripture Psalm 139:14 as I was dealing with skin issues (severe acne). I meditated on that scripture to lift my spirits.

God says we are wonderfully made, but often times our own insecurities get in the way. During that time, I learned its important to Define your own Beauty, and I wanted to find a way to inspire women to do the same.

We may have insecurities in various seasons of our lives, but its important for us to know there is beauty in all of us. Inside and Out.

Why did you decide to launch the podcast?

I decided to launch the podcast because I love inspiring people. I always told myself if I weren’t a lawyer, I would probably be a public speaker or motivational speaker. It feels good to help people become the best version of themselves.

What have some of the most popular episodes been, and why do you reckon this resonated with your audience?

• Morning and Evening Affirmations
• How to unlock your feminine energy
• Everything has its time
• How to be confident

I believe the episodes mentioned resonated with the audience, due to the times we are living in. We are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. People want to be inspired and encouraged. It’s an interesting time.

I believe this is one of the best times to go on the journey of self discovery. The episodes help women worldwide to seek deep within themselves and ask how can I become the best version of myself.

That’s my primary goal: to help women become the best version of themselves while I am striving to do the same each day. Life is all about growth.

How does beauty crossover into areas of self development?

Society has its own set of beauty standards. Therefore, we must set our own to our own liking. Beauty begins on the inside. If you don’t know who you are, how can you love yourself? You must know yourself in order to love yourself.

Self development is a lifetime journey. It doesn’t happen overnight. Your health, feminine energy, education, goals, career, etc. all affects your overall development. For example, when you know your purpose in life you exude a certain beauty and energy. We all have a purpose.

How do you think self care comes into skincare?

Often times, your skin is a reflection of how much you invest in your self-care, such as:

• Eating healthy
• Using effective products
• Getting a goodnight rest

All of these things is part of self care. Your skin is the first thing people see when they meet you. It’s important to know your skin type and what products work best.

Share a bit about the feminity series and tips to unlock feminine energy.

Your feminine journey should be unique. The reason I say this is because we can’t all be the same. The key is to look out for yourself as a woman. Often times, we sacrifice and become frustrated when people don’t do the same for us. We must put ourselves first and prioritise our own energy and mental health. There are categories you should consider in unlocking your feminine energy:

• Your romantic relationships
• Your career
• Your family

Here are some tips:

• Spend time each day and week doing something you enjoy. Whether that is shopping, cooking, taking a walk, reading, meditating, spending time alone, etc. Do what brings you peace and happiness.
• Surround yourself with positive people: there are people in this world that intend to stress and frustrate you. In order to keep the positive energy, you must be around likeminded people or people that respect you as a woman.
• Environment: make sure your home is your sanctuary. Whether you decide to change your décor or refuse to deal with toxic people in your household, remember your home should be your safe place. The world is a tough place. You should be happy to go home. In fact, you should want to go home. Create a beautiful and peaceful aroma in your home.
• Heal: We have all been through some rough patches in our lives. You must time to heal. Healing promotes personal growth and development.

What are your top 6 self care skincare practices?

1. Face Cleanser
2. Toner
3. Exfoliate (a couple of times a week)
4. Face Mask (spa nights)
5. Moisturise (it’s important to moisturise my skin to avoid dry and cracked skin)
6. Drink lots of water and stress less!

I’ve learned that less is more. And to listen to what my skin is telling me. Remove all my makeup very well to decrease breakouts. If I break out for example, it’s probably because I am eating unhealthy or not getting enough rest.

Name your top tips for building confidence and self love.

• Get to know yourself. Spend quality time with yourself. The voice in your head is the longest and loudest voice you will ever hear. Its important to make sure you are kind to yourself.
• Your self-love shouldn’t conflict with your love for someone else. If loving someone is destructive to your self love, you need to reevaluate your relationship(s).
• When you are not afraid to be alone, people somehow draw closer to you. It’s the fear of being alone that often times cause us to attract the worse in people. The reason being is because they know you are afraid to be alone and will tolerate anything. Enjoy your own company.
• Confidence takes practice. Reflect on your life. You made it this far. You should be confident. Knowing yourself will increase your confidence. No one knows you more than you. So who are they to tear you down? Be sure of yourself. Learn to grow into your own skin.

Anything else you want to add?

Take your time. This is your life. This is your journey. As I encourage you, I encourage myself.

As always ‘you are fearfully and wonderfully made.’

Find Beauty Define wherever you listen to podcasts, on Youtube, Instagram, and Facebook. 

Cover Photo: Photo by Sai De Silva on Unsplash