February 2026

9 hours ago
5 min read

Zelda Elisco

Beauty of the Month

We’ve been in conversation with Zelda about how to collaborate, because as soon as we learned about each other’s brands, it was clear there was a natural alignment. That’s why we’re so excited to spotlight her and her mission.

Through her project, Strength Marks, Zelda uses photography to illuminate the natural experience of bodies—telling stories that challenge narrow beauty ideals while celebrating the individuality and lived experiences each person carries. Her focus on authentic beauty and bodily agency feels like a true reflection of the Beyond Beauty Project’s values.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ZELDA ELISCO / interviewed by Beyond Beauty Project

“When I realized that I was never going to be this young again, I felt an immediate sense of urgency to enjoy my body for all that it is.”

At my core, I am a creator. Ever since I was a child, I've always been drawn to art, photography, and creating beautiful things to share with the world. Photography became my main method of expression — capturing the unnoticed beauty I witnessed in the world. When I was in university, I became fascinated with turning my lens towards body empowerment activism. Could the photos I captured change the way people saw themselves? This is where my project, Strength Marks, was born. I became obsessed with finding the answer to my question, so I began photographing women in my inner circle, decorating their scars in glitter, and interviewing them about their relationship with their bodies. The power behind Strength Marks is the perfect mix of creativity and rage — fueling a desire to change our culture and fight back against the beauty standards that we have been imprisoned by.

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The Beyond Beauty Project is for every body.

How did you discover the Beyond Beauty Project, and what initially drew you to it?

Zelda Elisco: I came across Beauty Beyond Project online and have been thankful every day to be part of the supportive and restorative community. When I first discovered the project, I was drawn to learning more from Bridgett, someone who found a way out of the toxic beauty industry and is sharing the lessons she's learned in order to help others. There is so much to unlearn about our beauty culture — I was eager to learn the best tools I could to help my journey be that much more gentle.

At some point, many of us realize that living by societal expectations doesn’t feel like our truth.

Did you experience a turning point when you decided to define your own path? What was that moment like for you?

Zelda: When I realized that I was never going to be this young again, I felt an immediate sense of urgency to enjoy my body for all that it is. I had wasted so many years of my life worried about what I looked like at any given moment that all those beautiful moments became overpowered by anxious thoughts. Was I really going to look back on my life and regret all the time I spent obsessing over my appearance?

“Throw out this idea that you have to have the perfect body before you can do the things you want to do.”

Looking back often brings clarity and compassion.

If you could speak to your younger self, what would you say about perfectionism and comparing yourself to others?

Zelda: I would tell her to find the tools as quickly as possible to stop obsessing over your body. Throw out this idea that you have to have the perfect body before you can do the things you want to do. Wear the bathing suit. Buy the outfits you've always wanted. Get the dress — even if it's in a larger size. Do everything you want to do NOW. Don't waste time you'll never get back.

It’s easy to feel like we’re “behind” in life or not moving fast enough.

How do you remind yourself that your pace is the right pace for you? Or is this something you’re still learning to navigate?

Zelda: This is definitely something I am still accepting. When I begin worrying about the pace of my life, I try to remember the pure miracle of all the events I've experienced so far. Nothing about my life, my pace, is identical to anyone else's. Every decision I've made has led me to exactly where I am meant to be. I often think, "If I were to have waited 5 more minutes there, or not gone there, who would I have missed out on meeting? Who wouldn't I know? What wouldn't I have learned?" I am trusting that the universe has a unique plan for me, and I am working on not getting worked up about the fact that my journey looks so different from my friends'.

Our understanding of beauty shifts as we grow. How has your perception of beauty changed over the years?

Zelda: Now, I think that beauty is unique to every person. If you were to have asked me this question 10 years ago, I would have listed out a set of features or attributes that I would have thought were the most beautiful. Now, I think it is most stunning when a person highlights the features that make them different — freckles, a curved nose, full eyebrows. We are all born looking different, and I detest this trend of everyone trying to look the same. Why would you pluck the petals from a flower, cut them, dye them, and glue them back to its stem just to make it look like something else?

Authenticity can be a daily practice.

What helps you stay true to yourself in a world full of expectations?

Zelda: I ask myself what my younger me would do. Would Zelda, at age 10, care about this? Worry about this? I try to navigate my course on my earliest memories of when I knew who I was unapologetically.

“Emotionally, I try not to hold in what I am feeling. If something is bothering me, I try to address it so that I can let it go.”

Self-love looks different for everyone.

How do you practice self-love in your daily life?

Zelda: I am working on not feeling guilty for resting. It's a huge challenge for me because I am a very productive, type A person with ambitious people in my life. Resting feels so good to me, and if I can finesse turning my mind off when my body is resting, that will be a huge achievement for me. I also feed myself really well. I love to cook for myself, even if I am eating alone. I have developed a ritual around eating well and finding solitude in my own company.

Caring for the body is both physical and emotional.

What are some ways you honor your body—physically, mentally, or emotionally?

Zelda: I am trying to reconnect my mind to my body through swimming as of lately. I grew up dancing from the age of 5 until I was 18. I noticed that after stopping dancing, I lost the connection between my mind and my body. I no longer knew the extent of my physical ability — how long could I keep my heart rate up and keep moving? How flexible am I? It was like a telephone line was cut between my mind and the rest of my body. I felt like I was moving through the world blind folded whenever I exercised. Now, I am trying to build that connection again by swimming. I am relearning the limits of my body and rebuilding my confidence. Emotionally, I try not to hold in what I am feeling. If something is bothering me, I try to address it so that I can let it go. I like to feel light and not weighed down by anxiety or sadness, so I allow myself to feel them and move through them. The sooner I can process my emotions, the sooner I can heal.