An Interview with Aleysha Proctor, Author of With Style and Amazing Grace

How many times have you picked up a women's magazine only to feel worse about your outer appearance than you did prior to flipping though the pages?

Your favorite celebrity graces the cover showing off her perfectly shaped body and her dentist-approved smile and before you know it, your self-esteem takes a sudden nosedive and you start searching the Internet for a qualified cosmetic plastic surgeon. A new nose and a more developed cleavage should make you feel better, right?

Aleysha Proctor thinks otherwise.

In her book, With Style and Amazing Grace, author and Certified Image Consultant Aleysha Proctor takes the myths that lie within the beauty industry, tosses them aside and brings forth a brand new, more healthy perception, which she defines as true beauty.

Proctor explains her inspiration behind writing With Style & Amazing Grace, why her beauty book stands out amongst the rest and what accessory no woman should be without.

Myrick: Growing up, were you more of a girly-girl or more of a tomboy?
Proctor: I was more of a girly-girl when growing up.

Myrick: When did your interest in beauty start?
Proctor: My interest in beauty started when I was in middle school. I was always nominated as the "best dressed" in my class, and to go along with my sense of style, I knew that I needed to have my hair done on a regular basis by a professional beautician and add a little make-up to complete my look.

Myrick: I read in your bio that you are an image consultant. How long have you been an image consultant and what does it entail?
Proctor: I was certified as an Image Consultant in 1995. Image consulting can mean different things to different people. It could mean more of a professional communications practice, more emphasis on professional marketing or just "old school" image consulting which entails make up, hairstyle consultation, closet audit, personal shopping, color analysis and/or style analysis. I had developed my "eye for style" over the years and therefore I was more partial to consulting on colors and style.

Myrick: How long did it take you to write your book, With Style & Amazing Grace?
Proctor: The contents of the book have been in my head for many years, however, by the time I actually started putting words on paper, it took me about 4 months to finish my manuscript.

Myrick: What was your inspiration behind writing With Style & Amazing Grace?
Proctor: I meet a lot of people in my walk of life, and many people don't think that they're beautiful or will ever be beautiful because of their complexion, length of hair, size of nose, their bone structure, and the list goes on and on. I wanted my readers to know what the Lord thinks about beauty. After all, He's the one who created all of us. And he says in 1 Peter 3:3-4 to not be so concerned with your outer self, but rather develop the beauty of your "inner self" or spirit.

Myrick: What do you hope you will instill in your readers once they have read your book?
Proctor: That anyone can choose to beautiful, it's just a matter of the decisions that we make about what we say out of our mouths, how we think, and how we act.

Myrick: How do you believe your book differs from other beauty books on the market?
Proctor: My book has more content that the other beauty books. Most of them only focus on where to buy the best mascara, how to catch a great sale on the hottest fashions and how to throw a great party. However, my book talks about getting your thought life intact and how to have purpose in life. It's beauty from the inside - out.

Myrick: Which chapter(s) do you feel your readers should pay close attention to?
Proctor: The Spirit of Excellence, Strength While You're Waiting, and Oh - to be Thankful!

Myrick: Will there be a second book?
Proctor: Yes, I'm working on my second book now.

Myrick: What beauty accessory would you say no woman should live without?
Proctor: Her confidence! Your confidence will either draw people to you or keep them away. And no matter how a woman looks, if she's confident then others will view her as attractive (because her confidence will attract them to her.)

Myrick: I also read that you are an independent consultant for Warm Spirit. What is Warm Spirit and how can someone get involved?
Proctor: Warm Spirit is a network marketing company that sells spa quality and wellness products. If anyone is interested in getting involved with Warm Spirit either as a customer or business owner, then they should contact me.

Myrick: If you could name one celebrity that exemplifies true beauty, who would you say does and why?
Proctor: I really can't say. There are many celebrities who are beautiful on the outside, but I don't know any of them to say that they're beautiful from the inside - out (which is how I would determine true beauty).

Myrick: If you change anything about the beauty industry, what would it be and why?
Proctor: I think that the uber-skinny supermodel is a misconception of what's beautiful. And so is the idea that cover girls of color don't sell magazines.

In her book, Aleysha Proctor successfully describes the meaning of true beauty and how to achieve it and manages to do it literally "With Style & Amazing Grace."

If you are interested in finding out more about Aleysha Proctor, With Style & Grace or Warm Spirit, be sure to visit AleyshaProctor.com.