MANILA, Philippines - The real essence of beauty is defined by the heart. In the case of Brittany Rhodes, her travels and experiences, aside from her beautiful heart, have shaped her perspective of beauty.
Brittany, 21, born and raised in the United States, was brought up in a Christian family, went to a Christian school in France and traveled a lot in England, Ireland, Spain, and as far as Poland. Her love for travel gave her a chance to explore different cultures and try out new things. It also opened her eyes to see a world where there’s no right or wrong when it comes to beauty.
“Every country has a different perception of beauty,” Brittany says. She explains that people vary their definition of beauty based on their specific norm. However, this doesn’t mean she puts aside prettying up because for her, being presentable opens up a lot of avenues to meet new people. She believes that first impressions are very important and that your confidence allows people to find out about your inner beauty as well.
Graduated with Political Science and French degrees at the Berkeley University in California, Brittany is a girl of great personality and wit. In her university, a lot of foreign countries are represented by the student body, which makes it a place of diversity in status, culture and background. This diverse community produces a wide range of opinion and perspective especially in style and beauty.
“As I go around, there are a lot of different perceptions. You should be comfortable in changing your opinions or your look to something you think is best,” Brittany says.
Her personal style is more on the casual, everyday look — a simple tee and jeans on most days. She believes in the power of simplicity by just putting on basic makeup like Careline Oil Control Face Powder to keep the oil at bay and an eyeliner like the Careline Color Pencil to define the eyes with just a quick and easy application.
As a popular saying goes, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever,” so is a girl with substance and passion. A heart that is concerned for the good of others and believes in the power of sharing the wonder of valuable experiences, makes a girl a pure delight to the people around her. Brittany never fails to live out this side of beauty. “I have a lot of different passions. My dream is to be able to share my passion with other people,” she says.
While working and training with someone who rescues horses back in her high school years, Brittany became involved in volunteering for a blind camp. Equipped with knowledge, skills and a kind heart, she was able to bring her passion for horses to people who generally didn’t have the ability and luxury to experience it. “It’s amazing to be able to capture that kind of passion and be able to share it with other people,” she adds. Aiming to touch more lives, Brittany plans to pursue Law or social work where she can broaden her professional capacity while helping and inspiring people through her own personal story.
Brittany encourages girls to embrace who they are along with their flaws and uniqueness. Her life experiences remind us that people differ in the way they see beauty. As long as you are comfortable in your own skin, there’s no reason to feel that you are not measuring up to a specific standard. After all, it is our individuality that sets us apart from others. Physical beauty is only skin-deep but the beauty that comes from the inside is really what makes the difference.
Brittany’s advice for young girls? “Just be yourself. You’re always your worst critic so you shouldn’t be so insecure because you’re pretty anyway.”
Clothes by Jellybean and Folded & Hung