Human beings have so many facets and we are constantly growing and changing. So even though we’ve known someone for decades, as I have this week’s Conversations Over Coffee interviewee, there is always something new to learn about each other.
Our friendship goes back three decades, but we’ve lived in different cities more than half our lives. With the craziness of life we don’t get to visit each other, or even chat on the phone, nearly as often as we’d like. So I was grateful for this opportunity to sit down over a virtual cup of coffee with my oldest and dearest friend. I am always intrigued by the fact that in some aspects we are so similar, yet in others we are polar opposites. She is the yin to my yang. So today, on her birthday, I am happy to introduce you to my friend, Tonie Jones.
Tell us three things we should know about you.
- I am obsessed with old movies and I often look to old movies to help me with my own personal style.
- I love love love eyebrows!!
- Being a mom is my favorite thing in the world!
What did you want to be when you grew up? How has that changed?
When I was growing up I wanted to be a model or a fashion buyer for a boutique. I wanted to have first hand access to what was in style. My dream hasn’t strayed much from its original vision. I still really love fashion and makeup. Skin care is probably the newest component.
I know you’re an avid reader. Which literary character do you most identify with and why?
Scarlet O’ Hara. Scarlet taught me I could be strong, powerful, intelligent and feminine all at the same time. She is my favorite heroine. Scarlet never gave up even in the face of complete devastation and loss. She fought on and never sacrificed all the beauty that comes with being a woman.
If you had to choose a musical genre to describe you, which one would it be and why?
A musical genre…Broadway show tunes. In my head my life comes with all the grandeur and drama of a good Broadway tune but at the same time life seems fun enough that you just want to jump in and sing a verse or hum along.
What are the three most important lessons you’ve learned in life?
- Submit your life to a higher power. I find it amazing and comforting that it all doesn’t ride on my shoulders, that I can look up to a power higher than me for help.
- Learn to laugh at yourself …laughter is healing and humbling.
- Learn to live in the now!!! It’s okay to look forward and back but don’t miss what’s happening now!
As a mother to three daughters, two of them teenagers, what lessons do you hope that they will learn from you?
One thing I want my daughters to learn … passion and purpose. Follow both of them. Those are the keys to happiness.
You’ve loved makeup and clothing for as long as I can remember, but when did you realize it was a passion you wanted to pursue as a career?
When I saw Willona Woods [played by Ja'net Dubois], on Good Times. All those wigs. Flawless makeup. Trendy clothes. She lived in the ghetto but she seemed so sophisticated and she was a buyer for a boutique. I wanted to be her.
Tell us about your company, Facepaynt. What is your beauty philosophy and how do you help women of all ages achieve it?
At Facepaynt we believe in real beauty and natural glamour. Makeup and great skin are wonderful tools to help discover the beauty you hold inside. So many believe that makeup is a cover up, a mask even. But I have seen makeup restore self-esteem and help a woman discover a level beauty she never knew she had. I’ve seen makeup help women play out dreams, like when I work with actors on a play, or create entirely new identities. With Facepaynt I want to help women discover the art and beauty in both themselves and in makeup or great skin. That goes for all women of all ages
Congrats on recently passing the boards for your aesthetician license. How will this impact Facepaynt’s offerings going forward?
Now we are able to add esthetics services: facials, waxings, body treatments, etc. Now it’s not just about a flawless makeup application. It’s about helping our clients achieve a perfect canvas with beautiful, healthy skin. Today people want to look younger longer. They are living younger, more active lives. Of course you want your skin, your face, to reflect that younger lifestyle and it’s possible to consistently look 5, 10, even 15 years younger than you are without the help of plastic surgery.
Close your eyes. Let’s head five years into the future. When you envision your ideal situation for you and for your business, what do you see?
I want to be one of the top estheticians/makeup artist nationally or internationally known. I want to be one of the best in the industry.
There was a time when personal care was built into a woman’s monthly budget. It was imperative that they took the time to care for themselves, not just to look their best, but to feel their best and be their best for their families. I would love Facepaynt to be a household name in the industry like MAC, but as it relates to skincare and makeup application. Most importantly I want Facepaynt to be a place where my clients can discover the best of themselves through a little quality time via a facial or makeup session so they can be the best for the people in their world.
How can our readers connect with you?
- Website: Facepaynt.com
- Instagram: Facepaynt
Get Social With Tonie Jones:
Great conversation over coffee. Like the website.
Penny