“My version of ‘Treat Yo Self Sunday’ is get dolled up, put on your best Sunday dress, and [going on] an afternoon stroll.”
Excuse us while we pause for a moment to twirl in our favorite dress because this is giving us all the carefree vibes we oh so need in 2020, thanks to boss babe Danielle Alvarez.
Danielle is on a mission to empower the Latinx community and women of color, and won’t stop until women of color are properly represented in fashion and beauty. So, after seven years working at a large New York beauty public relations agency as their ‘multicultural whisperer,’ she launched The Bonita Project – a New York-based public relations project which she named as a nod to her Spanglish roots. The Bonita Project is designed to celebrate and educate about the richly diverse culture the Latinx community offers. Today, she is amplifying the voices of Latinas with inspiring brands like Alamar Cosmetics’ founder Gabriela Trujillo and Botanika Beauty’s founder Ada Rojas.
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But one thing this Peruvian-American beauty knows is the importance of recharging her mental and physical state to keep her creative juices flowing. After all, Danielle introduced her agency to social media with an energetic, fun dance challenge, and has been sharing her fun collaborations ever since. And fun is definitely a word we would use to describe her approach to wellness. From midday masking to laughter breaks with TikTok, this is one self-care routine we cannot wait to try for ourselves.
Your Affirmation or Mantra
I am unique. I am creative. And I will drive change in our community.
First Thing You Do to Start Your Day
The very first thing I do is brew coffee. I can’t start my day without a fresh cup of cafecito. While the coffee brews, I do my morning grooming routine: brush my teeth, wash my face, and apply my skincare must-haves (serum + SPF moisturizer) – and yes, even if I am staying indoors, I use SPF.
Favorite Go-To Way to Break A Sweat
My favorite, creative way to break a sweat is either learning a new TikTok dance (trust me, it’ll make you sweat) or joining a Killa Bodies dance class. Honestly, TikTok is the way to go. Trying to learn the WAP dance broke me into a sweat in less than 10-minutes.
One Underrated Practice in Wellness
One underrated practice in wellness is sleep. Sleep is as important to our health as eating, staying hydrated, and breathing. I am not going to lie – I have an irregular sleep schedule, which is by no means good, but I am trying to work on that. On the weekends, I tend to sleep a few extra hours to catch up on all the sleep-deprived nights I sometimes have during the week. I even take naps during the weekdays – don’t ignore your body – and rest as you need to!
Go-To Way to Get Out of a Rut
If I am in a business rut, I say a prayer and tell myself that “in the end, it’s going to be alright.” There are some situations life throws your way that are completely out of your control. In the industry that I am in, my job is to control every situation to make it perfect, and sometimes that is simply impossible. If I find myself in a sticky situation – I just push forward and deal with the consequences. Learn from it, and move on. Those “ruts” make you stronger in the end.
Techniques for Resetting Your Day
Brewing another cup of coffee. Sometimes I get a brain stump in the middle of the day or easily get overwhelmed; there’s nothing a great cup of coffee won’t do! As soon as I pour another cup, it resets me, and I find my recharge moment; it calms me and helps me to focus on.
Go-To Way to Spark Joy for Yourself
Honestly, I take at least 2 TikTok breaks during the day to find some joy out of a busy, busy workday. My algorithm is filled with funny videos that always puts a smile on my face.
Go-To Social Media Accounts for Inspiration
Currently, I LOVE TikTok. There is so much underrated talent on this platform. So many creatives who are continuously sharing videos to motivate and inspire you to learn and see things from a different perspective.
A few voices I listen to on TikTok: @lifeofleiva and @lissettecalv
On Instagram, I get inspired by my very own clients – like Ada Rojas, Gabriela Trujillo, Khadidja Toure – who are small business entrepreneurs and keep pushing, keep churning ideas to continue to make magic and speak for underrepresented communities in the U.S.
Go-To Quarantine Indulgence
OMG TIKTOK! Sorry, I can’t stop saying TikTok, but it’s the only app that brings joys to my day. LITERALLY. I am more plugged into this app than IG. Another indulgence I have taken more seriously: my skincare. Since we all work from home nowadays, I mask throughout the day while I work – this includes my face and hair.
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Go-To Feel Good Song on Repeat
These songs constantly change, but currently, I have on repeat: Already by Beyoncé. Even though this song was released last year, after watching Black is King, this song has given me another perspective. I love Beyoncé. And I am a proud member of the Bey-hive.
Follow Danielle and The Bonita Project on Instagram to discover what’s next in the Latinx culture.
