Ghada Abuhakmeh, just like every other girl went through the awkward teenage years, but it was in those years that she discovered her love for the beauty industry. Passionate about living a healthy full life, she has made it her mission to not only enhance her own lifestyle but also to share her tips with the thousands of women who read her blog.

What attracted you to the beauty industry?

As a young girl, I remember being so fascinated with the artistic way my mom applied her make up. She never let my father catch her looking less than beautiful. Her skin was always flawlessly glowing, hair perfectly smooth and never frizzy, and her wardrobe was always colorful and elegant. I knew my mom was naturally gorgeous, but make up somehow enhanced her features even more. I couldn’t wait to grow up and be like her!

As I grew into my teens, I began to experience the change of hormones. My body started to transform in a way that no mother can prepare her daughter for. Besides being traumatized by a menstrual cycle, I began to suffer from teenage acne and even hair growth in places that I never knew could grow anything!

So to answer your question, I became interested in the beauty industry when I was forced to. I had to visit a dermatologist for my skin, the spa for my hairy legs, and the hair dresser to help smooth my frizzy, course hair. Ever since then, I’ve been addicted to the latest in beauty products and technology and helping other women feel beautiful.

Why is it so important to you to make natural products?

When creating a product, I always look for the best ingredients even if it’s not all-natural. Of course, I will always opt for ingredients found in nature before infusing my product with something synthetic, unless there is no substitute and after I have done extensive research on both its safety and efficacy. With natural ingredients, there is less chance for toxicity and harmful chemicals to penetrate your skin. The earth is abundant with ingredients that have been shown to effectively nourish, repair and hydrate any skin, so why not use them first?

What inspired the new Love Your Lips LIP BALM?

A few months ago, I started noticing my lips were chapped due to the change of seasons. I felt the taste, smell and feel of medicated balm was not what my lips deserved. After some trial and error, I finally found a combination of natural ingredients that not only left my lips soft, supple and shiny, but also felt like it was naturally restoring my lip’s moisture. I couldn’t wait to share this with my mom and friends, so soon after, I decided to share the formula with all my Smallworld Beauty customers. Smallworld Beauty Lip Balms are made with nature’s super softeners Macadamia and Jojoba oil, healing and nourishing Coconut Oil, and a little bit of Castor Oil to give your set of lips that touch of healthy and lustrous shine.

You seem to practice what you preach; have there ever been times where you find this hard to do?

I am human and just like everyone else, I get distracted, fail, and even indulge in things that I know I shouldn’t but that’s what makes everyday life interesting and not tedious! I am so far from the perfect person or body, but I make the best of every moment I have. Just like most women, I get depressed, irritable and even get down on myself. I have just accepted that these emotions are natural and that I just have to push through them until I reach another great moment that makes everything so worth it. I have chosen to live my life with very little restriction. I believe in moderation and being open minded to everything in life. I never want to look back on my life and regret anything.

Since starting small world beauty, what has been the most rewarding experience?

The most rewarding experience that Smallworld Beauty has given to me is the feeling of true health, mental and physical strength, and unconditional self-love. I have learned that I can achieve anything I put my mind to, from losing weight, to being an entrepreneur and working for myself. Smallworld Beauty has also become my tool to inspire others to take charge of their mind, body and life and truly open up to enjoying it. Smallworld Beauty was created for the purpose of showcasing beauty in diversity, and in the whole world. We all deserve to love our lives.

For more information and products, visit Smallworld Beauty and www.iloveproteinbars.com.

Follow @GhadaSmallworld on Twitter and visit on Facebook.

Ana Valentine is a student at the University of Oklahoma, where she is studying Journalism with a focus in content management. Along with school and campus involvement she is actively pursuing a career in Journalism with dreams of working for a magazine.

Tags: beauty, diet, diet products, Exercise, Ghada, interview, lip balm, natural, nutrition, Smallworld, vegan, weighloss