See Famous Works of Art Recreated With Pantone Color Swatches

In our series Selfmade U, we’ll tackle the most common questions and pain points that come up for business owners with tips and tricks from Selfmade, a virtual business coaching program, founded by Brit + Co founder Brit Morin and sponsored by Office Depot OfficeMax. We’ll hear from Selfmade members and business coaches on what it takes to run a successful business and make it as an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurship can be demanding, challenging, unpredictable, and deeply satisfying. The wins, big and small, help you rise above the challenges and there are so many perks to being your own boss (set your own schedule, do creative work you love, work from wherever, to name a few). But sometimes you can find yourself stuck on a problem – with nowhere to turn.

“I didn’t really feel like I had a community around me here in Maryland. We moved after the pandemic to be closer to my husband’s family,” says Lucia Diaz, a first-generation Colombian-American and the founder of LUCIA DIAZ, a Latina-owned business dedicated to empowering and honoring Latinas through illustration. “My artworks are a reflection of my commitment to provide cultural representation and instill pride in mujeres poderosas.” That is, powerful women like her.

Lucia turned to Selfmade, receiving an Office Depot OfficeMax scholarship to the program, to help her connect with business mentors and other female founders. “Being the first one in my family to build a business of this magnitude, it's really comforting to have mentors, especially of color or who come from first-generation immigrant families,” says Lucia. “The Selfmade Community is just an outpouring of love and just lots of great women who understand what you're going through and help put you in the right direction with the right resources.”

Lucia has had a banner year, her third in business. She has partnered with major fashion and beauty brands, like Tiffany & Co., Chanel, and Estee Lauder, and has curated a show of 100 LatinX artists at the The Oculus Center in NYC for Hispanic Heritage Month. We caught up with Lucia before she was heading out to NYC to speak at the United Nations Science Summit about the digital art exhibit.

Here’s Lucia’s day in the life!

6AM I start my day early, doing a lot of journaling, meditation, giving my cats some love and attention. My Selfmade mentor was like, “You can't just get up and go and just read emails. You have to do something for yourself first!” I've noticed that once I do my morning routine and just really focus on myself first, I tend to have a much better day.

7AM I head to the gym and listen to one of my favorite audiobooks, “I Will Teach You to Be Rich" by Ramit Sethi or "Wealth Warrior" by Linda Garcia, running at my own pace (AKA not super fast!). This is something that I established this year. I feel like I'm much happier now and I feel so grounded and connected to self.

9AM I record two The Art of Representation podcast interviews. Today's interviews were withAlyssa Reynoso-Morris, an Afro-Latina author, and Vero M. Estrada, a life coach. I use Zencastr to record the episode and then I'll use Canva to automate my podcast bookings. To collect guest information, I'll use Google Forms, which will help me create the blog post for fearlessyaya.com. Finally, I'll prepare the podcast links and content for social media. To save time, I'll also schedule social media reels in advance.

12PM I enjoy a lunch of my mom’s amazing beef and potato empanadas. Whenever I visit her, she'll always pack me some empanadas even though I tell her to rest now that she’s retired.:) I am from Colombia and I always feel connected to home through food.

1PM I answer emails and work on my United Nations speech for next week. I'm researching every panelist and just really digging through their history, so I can ask them specific questions.

I'm super honored that my friend Sandy Martinez selected me to be the first moderator. I remember being a little girl presenting a book report and being so nervous. Now I'm presenting to the UN and it's crazy. It's a dream. When I told my dad he teared up and my mom was bawling. She's like, “How is it that we migrated to this country and now you get to speak to delegates from not only all over the world but delegates also from Colombia.” So it's really powerful.

The main thing that I will touch on is the work that I've been doing with an orphanage in Colombia called CASA HOGAR NAZARETH. For the last seven years, I've been able to donate proceeds. Last year, I was able to donate a whole collection’s worth of proceeds to the orphanage because I had a really great year. My grandfather, Manuel, was an orphan. He raised 12 children, was a rural farmer, and became a leader in his community and made sure to take care of others. That's what he instilled in me. If there's enough for me, there's enough for everybody. We can make it work.

3PM I Zoom with some of the artists to help them upload their artwork for the exhibit. I want to make sure they can all participate. They are artists from all over Latin America, from the Caribbean, from Venezuela and Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and some don’t speak English. I want to make sure they have their chance to show in NYC, many for the first time.

4PM I edit my podcast episodes using Final Cut Pro. I have a passion for video editing. I also create eye-catching thumbnails for YouTube and social media using Adobe Photoshop. My workflow involves scheduling episodes two months in advance, which I attribute to my detail-oriented nature – perhaps it's my inner Virgo shining through!;)

6PM I have dinner with my husband. He is the one who encouraged me to take the leap and start my business. He’s been so supportive.

7PM After dinner, we like to walk by the creek. It’s something my mom and dad used to do. In Colombia, there are a lot of waterfalls and little lakes and places that you would go and reconnect with nature.

8PM I work on my artwork. Fridays are my days for my own art, where I illustrate and I draw for myself. I don't have an agenda. Sometimes it is personal illustrations. Other times it's illustrations of incredible women in the Latin community. I don't take meetings on Fridays. I'm not posting anything on Instagram. I'm not answering any phone calls or emails. I literally hide my phone in my safe and I asked my husband to change the code [laughs].

Lucia also started a stationery business and uses her printers from Office Depot to support her print business. “Aside from my services, I develop greeting cards and stationery and work on showing how through stationery we celebrate the holidays and milestones in our Latinx community.”

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Illustrated by Daniela Jordan-Villaveces

In our eyes, color is never a bad idea, and though the moments where you get stuck in a wardrobe rut and reach for boring (yet dependable) all-black attire can be all too common, there are ways to work your way out of it. Trends often cycle through the seasons, so welcoming this next one means a brand new set of colors to play with – even beyond your wardrobe. Check out 6 trending colors that fit right into your summer color palette below!

1. Barbie Pink

Image via Brit + Co.

There’s no doubt that the anticipation for Barbie to hit theaters has crept into every area of our lives. Barbie pink is back in a big way this summer, adorning our clothes, accessories, beverages, and even our interiors.

TikTok’s “Miamicore” (all about the bright and the bold) interior design trend is a testament to Barbie pink’s power at the moment. According to Taskrabbit, 25% of people expressed a desire to incorporate pink accents into their homes this year.

Hot pink hues were also… well, hot during NYFW, and have carried this season’s brightest fashion looks.

2. Red-orange

Image via Flying Tomato

It’s not totally red, and it’s not really orange, either. It’s red-orange, and we love that this color’s trending right now because it's complimentary to practically any skin tone and just hits different in the summertime.

Pantone truly hit the mark on this color trend with the hue Cherry Tomato, which was featured in their Summer ‘23 Color Trend Report. This Loveliest Looks Woven Midi Dress ($64) from Flying Tomato is the true embodiment of the color.

Perhaps its popularity is because it reminds us of actual tomatoes – the ones we’re growing in our home gardens and using for fresh summer pasta salads. We also can’t forget the viral Loewe tomato candle.

Fiery, tomato-y red-orange looks stunning against turquoise, chartreuse, and this next trending color: lilac.

3. Lilac

Image via Urban Outfitters

As Swifties, we’ll take a chance and say this next trending color is a product of the “Lavender Haze” effect. But it could also be that lilac is simply easy to feature as the main component of an outfit, or be used for a small pop of color in your room. This lilac BDG Eddie Ribbed Shrug Sweater ($39) is proof – the versatility of it all!

The trending shade could *also* be linked to our growing passion for florals and botanicals, whether they come in scent or flavor form. We adore them all the same! According to Tastewise, in the past two years alone, floral flavors have received a +91% rise in consumer interest, with botanical flavors following suit, experiencing a +31% increase. Their scented counterparts are popular as well, being highly correlated with stress relief.

4. Lime Green

Image via Olive and June

The bright and the bold continue in this trending green. It seems we’ve departed from spring’s popular chartreuse to more lime green shades in the color canon – after all, there’s nothing wrong with standing out a bit!

Like lilac, lime green is easy to apply all-over, or as an accent – it’s whatever you’re feeling. Greens in all forms and shades are trusted to be nourishing and lush, but this punchy take just infuses the summer months in sheer fun! Take this Lime Fizz Polish from Olive & June ($9) – it truly stands out among the rest.

5. Metallic Silver

Image via Nasty Gal

This next color simply shines. More prominent in fashion than in interior design, metallic silver is having a renaissance – no, literally. Thanks to Beyonce’s recently-embarked Renaissance tour that’s dripping in eye-catching metallics and disco-esque futuristic aesthetics, interest in silver pieces has dramatically increased.

A recent finding by Nasty Gal revealed that online interest in 'metallic cowboy boots' skyrocketed 488% after the first night of the tour, according to the analysis of Google search data.

Google searches for 'silver cowboy boots,' a la NG's Real Leather Stitched Western Boots ($98), also rose 300% worldwide after the first tour date, as well as searches for 'disco cowboy hat', which went up 525%. The metrics for ‘silver bodysuit; and ‘silver corset’ measure up to the large increases as well.

“These increases in searches tell us exactly what everyone is wearing to the tour, with many fans wanting to emulate Beyoncé's iconic and daring style,” a spokesperson for Nasty Gal said. “Expect to see plenty of chromatic cowboy boots, head-to-toe silver, and disco-embellished cowboy hats on your tour date.”

6. Cream White

Photo by Angela Roma / PEXELS

Cream white is super design-friendly, and can be observed through current fashion and home trends. It’s most prevalent in the fashion world when we look at sustainable fashion – people are making more careful investments in their wardrobe in an effort to shop sustainably and halt detrimental spending habits. See: the rise of capsule wardrobes.

This hue is also incorporated into minimalist fashion trends that prioritize easy styling by using neutral palettes – think blacks, whites, tans, creams, and the like.

Furthermore, cream white’s summer presence in architecture and interior design can be attributed to the same reasons. Consumers are craving the minimalistic simplicity found in limited color palettes.

The Chip and Joanna-style houses are a good example – they boast an uncomplicated black and white color scheme that makes things look super clean and minimal. We’ve taken that concept and ran with it for interiors, too.

Which color will you be adding to your summer color palette? Let us know @BritandCo!

Brit + Co. may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

I have such a love/hate relationship with haircuts. While I love the feeling of a fresh look as much as the next girl, I hate having to spend $100+ for a simple cut and blow dry session. During my recent trim, I talked with my hairdresser, Jack Rehak of Jack’s Hair Design in Hinsdale, Illinois, about ways to keep a haircut looking new and best practices for keeping hair healthy. Here's what he had to say!

Here's How Often You Should Cut Your Hair, According To Professionals

Photo by cottonbro studio/PEXELS

I’ll admit it — it had been eight months since my last haircut. My hair had lost its shape, my layers were nowhere to be found, and my ends were begging for mercy. Life got busy over the last few months and I was neglecting my haircare like never before.

My hairdresser could immediately see that I was beyond due for a cut and said I needed to get more taken off than I was hoping. I was definitely disappointed — I'd been working on growing out my hair for a while now, and it just felt like my hard work had completely gone to waste. He explained that getting consistent haircuts is the key to growing out healthy and strong hair, rather than letting it grow and grow until it eventually breaks. So let's dig into the top three things you can do to avoid this scenario!

1. Just Get The Dang Haircut

Photo by RDNE Stock project/PEXELS

Also avoiding a haircut like I was? You might want to schedule one at your nearest salon. Like my stylist said, when you wait too long between trims like I did, you risk your hair becoming heavy, dull, and lifeless. When the hair is dry or even dead, it’s nearly impossible for it to hold a curl or style, essentially collapsing on you and taking on more and more heat damage all the while. I know the pain of spending time on a blowout only for it to fall minutes later — it’s the worst.

According to Jack, getting a haircut every 10-12 weeks is the best time frame or your ends will pay the price. Between blow-drying, curling, straightening, sun, and weather, our ends get dry and start to break without the proper care. Getting consistent haircuts allows hair to bounce back, shine, and perform the way we want in a healthy way.

2. Leave-In Conditioners Are Your Friend

Photo by cottonbro studio/PEXELS

His top piece of advice to keep your hair looking and feeling hydrated between trims? Invest in conditioning treatments. Jack swears by the Olaplex conditioning system, specifically the No 3 Hair Perfector. Made with patented OLAPLEX Bond Building Technology™, this conditioning treatment repairs and prevents damage in as little as three minutes. No 3 promises to reduce breakage and visibly strengthen hair, so it’s the perfect assistance to keep ends fresh between cuts. Another conditioning treatments I’ve used and loved for years is the Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask, which is designed to restore moisture, elasticity, and shine to dry hair.

3. Switch Up Your Shampoos

Photo by Karolina Grabowska/PEXELS

Switching shampoos frequently is a pretty hot tip that I honestly hadn't thought of. Our hair gets used to the same products and grows tired of them, resulting in lackluster locks. Jack’s advice is to switch brands after finishing every bottle of shampoo to bring life back to your hair. Have two brands that you’re loyal to? Even switching back and forth between them after every bottle should make a big difference in your hair. I’m a huge fan of the R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo, which makes my hair look thick and full, as well as the Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo, which is so hydrating and gives so much shine.

Photo by cottonbro studio/PEXELS

In the end, navigating your back-and-forth relationship with haircuts often feels like a rollercoaster ride between wanting that fresh look and cringing at the receipt. Luckily, by using conditioning treatments and switching up your products,, you can keep your locks healthy, shiny, and full of life between trims. But take a newly learned lesson out of my book: don't let your ends pay the price for procrastination and just book the haircut.

If you need some more hair inspo and advice, be sure to sign up for our weekly email newsletter!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

Header image via Nataliya Vaitkevich/PEXELS