Nicole Whisenhunt : The age of enlightenment
Manila, Philippines - The “Live on the Lighter Side of Life” campaign of Olay Natural White Bar is about helping women achieve the confidence to enable them to try new things, pursue opportunities and enjoy the good life. The campaign encourages women to forget the same old usual choices they make that keep them from stepping out of the shadows and living on the lighter side of life. Olay invites women to live on the lighter side of life with newfound confidence by revealing their skin’s natural fairness all over with the new Olay Natural White Bar. It all starts with trying something new for a change.
Jewelry designer Nicole Whisenhunt, even when she was just a kid, has always wanted to create. For a time, she had worked in the corporate world, only dabbling in jewelry design during her free time. It was not until after a sabbatical several years back that Nicole finally decided to fully commit to design.
She recalls, “At one point I wanted to do so many things to a point where I was no longer sure what I really wanted to do.” Suffice it to say that as with most success stories, what Nicole had gone through may as well be considered a baptism of fire. And this she had surpassed with flying colors.
“My business is my blessing. In the course of this journey, I realized that truly, life hands you with so many surprises. The best one I’ve received so far is my business,” the young designer declares. When she was in the process of discerning which career path to pursue, a lot of time had been devoted to discovering herself, her passions, dreams and life goals. “I remember, there was one night when I prayed really hard for guidance. I woke up the next day and made the most beautiful necklace.” That fateful neck piece which, in so many ways, marked the beginning of her new life, had been sold to a dear friend. Eventually, Nicole shares that she had bought the piece back to constantly remind her of the blessings and graces that have come her way thus far.
Admittedly, starting a jewelry line had demanded a lot from Nicole. Not only did she have to invest her time into the business, she also admits to having had sleepless nights meeting deadlines and creating new designs just before the break of dawn. Her passion for her craft, however, has unceasingly fueled her flame. “I can be extreme and very intense. When I create something, I really look into every single detail. When I am inspired and have a new idea, I sometimes stay up all night because I find myself excited to get to work the next day,” she describes. Nicole’s dedication to every bead, pattern and stitch in each of her pieces, has not gone unnoticed and rightfully so. Today, she caters to clients both here and abroad. Celebrity A-listers have also begun to consider her pieces as style staples while many taste makers in the industry are giving apt recognition for her work.
In the course of her journey, Nicole has discovered a well-lit path that has truly helped her improve not only as a designer and professional but also a person. “Although I can be very intense when it comes to the workshop, I learned just recently that I need to also enjoy life,” Nicole reflects. De-stressing — whether to simply have lunch with friends or to travel to new destinations — has finally made it into Nicole’s lexicon. “My most recent promise to myself is not to drive myself to become too stressed or anxious. It can actually be counterproductive,” the talented designer reveals. Instead, Nicole quite literally stays to find light in every way possible. She explains, “In my work place or even in my home, I want to make sure that it is well lit otherwise my mood is affected. A lot of my work is affected by the light and having a good amount of it in your space helps me to stay creative.”
To keep her skin glowing, Nicole makes sure her face is cleansed often – she washes her face as often as three times a day. She also tries to get eight to nine hours of sleep daily.
Just recently, Nicole once again ventured into a new project with fashion designer Hindy Tantoco and director Paul Soriano for a video featuring her newest jewelry collection. An endeavor that, according to Nicole, is anything but conventional, she keeps the creative and style world in great anticipation, simply saying, “When we came up with the idea, we all decided that we were going to do something edgy and unique. For sure, some will appreciate the vision behind this collaboration and some will not like it.” And while without a doubt, Nicole has reached higher ground in her career as a designer, she ends, “As a designer, you have to be willing to take risks in order to grow.”
So far, every step she has taken has only elevated her to even greater heights where the sun shines ever brighter. Now, Nicole is assured of living on the lighter side of life.
