For as long as I can remember I have been in love with beauty and fashion.
Growing up in the Dominican Republic & learning from Mamaniña
I learned the importance of a solid morning routine by watching my grandmother get ready each day. Although most of her time was spent around the house and in the kitchen, she put as much effort into her appearance as someone going to a grand event. She would brush her long thick hair into a sophisticated ponytail with a scarf before serving my cousins, brother, sister, and myself one of her delicious breakfast creations, always something different from the day before, a mangu, oatmeal, or a ham and cheese grilled sandwich accompanied by a papaya milkshake. While we had breakfast, she would mix brown sugar and olive oil to exfoliate her skin and hands in the kitchen. Then she would use cucumbers, aloe, and honey as an all-natural face mask. While we ate our breakfast, she would run to her room to finish getting ready. After only 10 minutes, she would join us again to help us wash up looking like a movie star, perfect skin just a little bit of blush and lipstick, and surrounded by an elegant scent that I will never forget- Dolce & Gabanna Red is the closest perfume I can think would duplicate it. She took pride in making us look our best, too; she would brush our hair in a pretty braid or a side pony and always made us put on lotion and brush our teeth before going to school.
I’m not sure where I’d be today if I had stayed in the Dominican Republic for my entire life, but they indeed were the best years of my childhood.
Bronx upbringing, & my mom
I was seven years old when my siblings and I moved to The Bronx, NY. Unfamiliar with this strange concrete jungle, I would get into so much trouble for staring – but I couldn’t help it – the fashion and the makeup were some of the coolest things I had ever seen.
A little bit different than my grandmother, my mother had a more practical idea of beauty. She had a straightforward skincare routine that consisted of a cleanser and moisturizer. Although simple, she used only the best products from the Estee Lauder counter at Macy’s. I would often go with my mother to get the free makeovers – but never once bought any makeup, as skincare was her only interest. I would take advantage of this atmosphere and time to play with all sorts of makeup, trying to recreate the looks that I saw. At the checkout, the lady would often give my mother a “free-with-purchase” makeup gift. I would sneak them to my room and do my makeup. Funnily enough, she never even noticed that they had gone missing because she only rarely put on makeup for special occasions!
With fashion, she was also efficient in her choices “comfort over fashion” is the best way to describe her style, which makes sense because, for a single, working mom of three, comfort was hard to come by. Each year in the fall, she would save up and take us back to school shopping, where we could only each get one pair of Guess jeans and two shirts. Although a lean wardrobe, she purchased it with assurance – even though it would be my only pair of jeans, it would last me the whole year. From my mother, I learned to appreciate quality over quantity.
Freshman year of high school and eager to earn a little more money of my own, I started babysitting for “dancers” (the nighttime kind, if you know what I mean) – Looking back, with the amount I learned from them, I should have been paying them! The transformations these girls would undergo were unmatched – within a matter of 2 hours, they would go from 0-100 with full makeup and one of a kind fashion. Through them, I learned about the fantastic deceit a pushup bra is and that if you want to fake it some more, the padding on the bras can also be added to the butt area! The beauty and fashion hacks I learned from them are endless!
The beauty of NYC is that even 20 something years later, I still feel so inspired and amazed by it. Something in the air makes me feel so motivated by the bright lights, the fast pace, the shops, I always leave feeling like I should be doing more with my life! There, I learned how to take care of myself, it made me tough, but I also met some of the most unforgettable people in my life. I will forever LOVE NYC.
Boston and today
Fast forward to 2011 & living in Boston, MA – at the time, a new wife and stay at home mother of two. I finally decided to start my blog and Youtube channel. I knew it could not be named anything other than Steffany’s Choice. A blog where I share my choices with the world; in beauty, fashion, and lifestyle. I write about my choices, and if you find them helpful and can learn something from them, great! If not, then maybe my next choice will help you better.
Most of my taste in beauty, fashion, and lifestyle is not only thanks to all the beautiful women in my life but also from my many years of experience and study. I worked closely with a dermatologist for five years, have over ten years of experience as a makeup artist, graduated from a school of Esthetics, and opened up my first studio – where I worked for three years. I have been a makeup instructor teaching one on one in workshops and large classrooms. I had to go through all these careers to realize that I love to share. I don’t want to do your makeup for a special occasion; I wish to inspire you to look your best at all times. I want to recommend a great spa, suggest a great product, or help you avoid the bad ones. My passion is sharing.
Well, now it’s 2018 – I’m a mother of four, and the always unpredictable pace that motherhood brings keeps me busy. However, apart from my family, nothing makes me happier than having this platform to share and connect with all of you. I extended my blog and welcome a lifestyle section in there; you will find fitness, home decor, mom/wife life, and just an overall more personal feel.
I know that some of my number one readers are my family and friends; therefore, I would never recommend anything I would not use myself.
I hope you enjoy it,
