Jules Sebastian What Does Beauty Mean To You? Interview

Beautiful You Australia challenges definition of beauty by launching new nationwide campaign – -What Does Beauty Mean To You?' The time has come to change the face of beauty.

The definition of beauty is being lost with thousands of images of -perfection' being pushed in our faces every single day.

Being 'beautiful' seems to now be perceived as one ideal – think perfect skin, flawless hair, crazy diets, tiny bodies… all unrealistic images that are shattering the self-esteem and self-worth of an entire generation of women and beyond. It's time to give women back the power to define for themselves what beauty means to them. It's time to remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder and there's simply not one definition of beauty.

Beautiful You Australia (www.beautifulyouaustralia.com.au) is teaming up with a suite of ambassadors including Dancing with the Stars celebrity dancer Carmelo Pizzino, stylist Mum Jules Sebastian and Mrs Australia 2014, Kate Johnson in a new campaign to help redefine beauty, asking Aussie women to share what really makes them feel beautiful. Women of Australia are being encouraged to take control of what beauty means to them, capture their beautiful moments, share their journey with others and refine the current, one-dimensional definition of 'beauty'.

Whether it be spending time with your family, cooking, dancing, wearing a sun dress at the beach or feeling the salt on your skin, feeling beautiful is internal and different for everyone.

Stylist Jules Sebastian says: 'When you dress up for a special event or occasion or even for a walk in the park, everyone can feel beautiful by just what they're wearing. I feel beautiful when I help others feel beautiful just by the way they dress. I also feel beautiful when I spend time with my friend and my family".

Fitness expert and professional dancer, Carmelo Pizzino agrees beauty is only skin deep. 'Beauty to me is not about the way you look, it's about the way you feel and to me I enjoy expressing this through dancing. No matter what age you are, from five to 65, everyone feels beautiful when they dance. I also feel amazing when I'm swimming, in the gym working out and getting dirty in the garden.".

'I think true beauty shines from within" says Mrs Australia 2014, Kate Johnson. 'Sitting in the makeup chair and taking amazing photos for clients only goes so far for me. I feel beautiful when I'm healthy and this brings me happiness, and when I'm happy, I'm confident. And confidence is beautiful."

Beautiful You Australia is asking women to head to their website to stand up, reach out and share their moments of beauty – what makes them feel beautiful.

These images can be shared on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/beautifulyouaustralia, http://www.twitter.com/beautifulyouau and Instagram http://www.instagram.com/beautifulyouaustralia using hashtag #BeautyRedefined.

To join their community visit: http://www.beautifulyouaustralia.com.au/subscribe-win

Interview with Jules Sebastian

Why did you want to become an ambassador for the Beautiful You Australia -What Does Beauty Mean To You?' campaign?

Jules Sebastian: I think it is always a great thing to celebrate beauty, especially when it can be celebrated from the inside of a person to the outside. Beautiful You gives us a chance to take some time to think about what true beauty means to us as individuals. I was excited to be a part of a campaign with such a positive message.


Question: Can you talk us through the idea of the -What Does Beauty Mean To You?' campaign?

Jules Sebastian: The word beautiful conjures up such different feelings and emotions for each of us. For some, it is outer beauty, for others it's inner beauty, and for some it's the experiences and the people around us that brings beauty to our life. The campaign is really bringing all those thoughts and what it means to us as individuals to celebrate all these different thoughts and ideas.


Question: What does beauty mean to you?

Jules Sebastian: Beauty for me is a combination of a lot of things. In my profession as a stylist, I work with outer beauty and making people feel good about themselves based on how they look. But I truly believe that having a radiance on the outside really does start from the inside. If you feel confident and powerful on the inside, there's no way to hide it. Being content with yourself and others around you, finding satisfaction in the smaller things in life and appreciating all you have is what beauty really means to me.


Question: What are your beautiful moments?

Jules Sebastian: In all honesty, I find the beautiful moments are when others around me feel beautiful or proud of what they have done or who they are. I love the look on a person's face when they feel beautiful. I love when a friend achieves or dream or accomplishes something they have been working towards or when my son is really proud of the smallest things he has done.


Question: How have you captured your beautiful moments?

Jules Sebastian: I think I capture moments in my memories, by writing them down or even taking snaps on my camera.

Question: What do you hope women take from the -What Does Beauty Mean To You?' campaign?

Jules Sebastian: I hope women understand that beauty comes from within. I am a true believer that beauty is within the eye of the beholder. It really is. I hope to think women should feel empowered, confident and beautiful.


Question: What is Beautiful You Australia and why do you support their work?

Jules Sebastian: Beautiful You Australia is about redefining what it really means to be beautiful. It's about real women speaking up and celebrating the moments they have felt most beautiful – being comfortable in their own skin.

I am a string believer that beauty comes from within, it's not one ideal it could be anything. Whether it's spending time with family or feeling happy. That's what beauty is to me. I want to help get this message across to the women of Australia that beauty should not be pigeon-holed as one meaning. Beauty is a lot of things.


Question: How can Australians get involved?

Jules Sebastian: By visiting www.beautifulyouaustralia.com.au and share their pictures of what shows of their definition of beauty. Upload and tag #BeautyRedefined - you even get entered into a prize draw to win VIP tickets at their event later this year.

Be inspired and be pampered at the Beautiful You Australia event at the Melbourne Exhibition Hall on September 13-14. It will be a women's day out! Tickets are on sale now.


Interview by Brooke Hunter