Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sylvia Waller. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Sylvia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
Beauty Runs Skin Deep is about Empowering and Inspiring and Uplifting Women! Encouraging women to maintain healthy skin, fashion forward makeup and provide beauty tips and ideas to help boost confidence in their efforts to strive to be the best version of themselves and be comfortable in their own skin. I believe, Beauty is more than the physical Temple you’re in. Beauty radiates from inside out. Physical beauty will fade but if a person in bodies a fruitful spirit of Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control their beauty will radiate for eternity.
Sylvia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Sylvia Waller was crowned Mrs. Colorado 2022 April of 2022. At the age of 62 Sylvia is the oldest crowed in Mrs. Colorado pageant history, since it’s inception in 1939. Sylvia was encouraged to compete in the Mrs. Senior Colorado pageant, and she was determined to compete with women her kids age in her efforts to change the way society view beauty and the aging process. In 2020 Sylvia placed 1st runner up winning the title of Mrs. Colorado American 2020, And Mrs. Fit American 2021. The back story behind this starts with working on self and taking care of health.
I worked in the insurance industry for 20 plus years. The latter years became very stressful due to juggles of newly blended family, sole caregiver of aging father who suffered from Dementia, and work. My stress level made me very sick. After a layoff in 2010 I decided to change my career path and entered into the beauty industry where there was less stress and enjoyable to go work. I obtained my esthetics license in 2011 and worked as a makeup artist and medical esthetician. As I interacted with women of all ages and backgrounds, I realize there is a huge need to encourage women to embrace their unique beauty. Makeovers and skin care appointments were more like therapeutic sessions. And the conversations were often about the individual’s appearance and the desire to change the way they look to be Hollywood hot or Instagram hot. And no one wanted to face aging. I remember, sharing with a customer in her 80’s our face is like a plump grape! There are fine lines in the grape, but you don’t notice it because the grape is plump and juicy and that’s all we notice. But the moment the sun dries out the grape it becomes a raisin. So, as we age, we want to keep the moisture in our skin so people with see healthy plump skin that glows and the fine lines are not the focus because the skin is healthy and plumb. When we don’t take care of skin and neglect wearing protective sunscreen, our skin will tun into a raisin. And we don’t want that!
By 2016 life was taking a toll on my health as sole caregiver for elderly dad with dementia, taking care of my family and work. I had to make some changes. I changed my diet, got a personal trainer and competed in a body building show which would make me very accountable to take control of my health. I placed 3rd in the Figure Masters division and qualitied for National. I didn’t allow age and stress to change me, I changed the way I aged and handled stress.
I share my experience and wisdom with my own struggle to encourage others to embrace their own beautiful uniqueness. And to press thru difficult times. It wasn’t until I considered to compete for Mrs. Colorado that I spent time taking inventory and evaluating my own purpose, and what’s important to me. I can vividly remember stepping into the orientation room of Mrs. Colorado contestants and Mrs. America contestant and feeling out of place because I was the oldest contest in both pageants. I had to embrace the fact that I am older and not to try and act or look younger than I am. I made the decision to embrace my own uniqueness and be the best 62-year-old I could be. I chose to be Sylvia Waller 2.0! I realized I cannot be anyone else and no one can be me. I’ve learned not to look to the left or the right but stay in my lane and run my best race against myself. Always growing and becoming the best version of myself. Understanding who I am, and the true meaning of beauty and allowing it to radiate thru me verbally, non-verbally and spiritually. Which won over the judges and ultimately gained me the title of Mrs. Colorado 2022. This experience has inspired a deeper purpose of my business Beauty Runs Skin Deep. Adding new services, in addition to, skin care-makeup consultations, makeover, and facials; I have added Princess Etiquette Parties, which includes Parties, one on one, or small group seminar to teach young girls, social, personal, and social etiquette. And to help empower them to embrace their unique beauty to understand they are created with intent and purpose. I help them to understand they have superpowers within to help them control their emotions and to navigate thru this unpredictable and at time unkind world. I find joy in encourage women to know their worth. And understand once they understand their purpose, it will empower them to excel. I have also taken on Pageant Coaching, Poise and Runway. In addition to my business. In addition, I am a volunteer community educator for the Alzheimer’s Association and volunteer as the result of the passing of my dad and I wanted to learn more about this disease that plagues my family.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
2022 was my year of Resilience and Perseverance- At 62 I felt like a vintage 1960 high end vehicle- looked great on the outside but raise the hood and there’s a lot of restoration needed! Two weeks into my title as Mrs. Colorado, I had a hip replacement, giving me just 8 weeks to heal and prepare for Mrs. America. Some doubted but, I Knew my steps were ordered. Glory to God I went from scooting around with a Walker to the big stage in high heels without assistance. I can’t say it was without pain but, Praise God I placed in the top 15!
Although the outcome fell short of my desire! My blessing was not in the outcome! But in My journey, and all the individuals I encouraged, inspired, and motivated along the way with my message to age gracefully. As an advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association this beautiful experience has given me a greater opportunity to advocate and raise awareness of the connection of diet/exercise and Alzheimer’s and dementia related deceases. I advocate, in honor of my dad, who was taken away too soon by this relentless disease. And as a baby boomer, I stressed the importance of aging healthy and gracefully. I will continue volunteering until we identify the first survivor!
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Breaking my own glass ceiling of self-doubt and fear by embracing my own uniqueness and Self-worth. I know God has a plan for my life has given me the confidence to walk in my purpose. With my perseverance and experience as Mrs. Colorado 2022, I hope to encourage other women of all ages to step out on faith and break their own glass ceilings of fear and self-doubt to empower their lives. You’re never to mature to reinvent yourself and go after your heart’s desire. Don’t allow age to change you change the way you age! Fight through your challenges through a healthy lifestyle, diet, and exercise. I hope my story encourages women to Embrace their uniqueness and walk-in confidence while aging gracefully. Break through their own glass ceiling of fear and self-doubt.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Mrs Colorado 2022 Sylvia Waller
- Facebook: Sylvia Waller
- Linkedin: Sylvia Waller
- Youtube: Sylvia Waller
Image Credits
Photographers: @graphiquephotography, @gilliamphoto @Castlerockheadshots