Dulce Candy on Self-Love: I've Learned to Love the Little Girl I Used to Be, and Who I Am Today"

On her immigration from Michoacán, Mexico, to the United States: "When I was 6, my dad hired coyotes to help us cross the border. I still remember that night. We went to this supersketchy hotel with fleas on the bed. Then the coyote took us up to the roof to brief us on what we were about to do. We saw people getting caught, so we had to wait a few hours before we could go. After we climbed the fence, I just remember running and ducking behind rocks. A coyote carried me on his shoulders through the Rio Grande. Then we snuck into an open garage and rested there for a few hours before moving on. I wasn't scared. For me, it just seemed like an adventure. It must've been so hard for my mom, yet she always put on a brave face and acted as if it was normal."

On her struggles as a teenager: "Though my mom always told me I was beautiful, I didn't feel it. All my clothes were from Goodwill, and I had braces. Between my teeth, brown skin, and textured hair, I never had anyone to relate to. I was 14 when I first attempted suicide. I was talking with a boy over the phone, and the moment he saw me in person, he broke up with me. It made me feel so ugly, and when I got home, I took as many ibuprofen as I could find and drank a bottle of cough syrup. It didn't work, but I tried to hurt myself other times too. I had zero self-worth — I thought things would never be better. If I could go back, I'd tell my younger self that she's beautiful and worthy. I've learned to love the little girl I used to be, and who I am today."

On meeting her husband, Jesse Ruiz: "I met my husband at Fort Hood. We were in the same unit, and he was the only boy who wasn't giving me any attention, so all I tried to do was catch his eye. Our unit shipped out to Kuwait, and that's where we fell in love — over meals in the dining facility. Now, in addition to helping me film and edit all my videos, he takes care of our son and house. When we're working together, we'll say to each other how lucky we are that we get to be together."

On finding a balance between work and parenting: "The hardest part of being a working mom is the guilt. If I have to go away for work for a few days, Izek acts a little different when I come home, and it hurts my heart. My mom always tells me that there are sacrifices you have to make, but I don't ever want to sacrifice my family for my work, so I'm trying to find that balance right now."

On planning for the future: "We've always wanted a big family, but we've been trying to give Izek a brother or sister for 5 years now. That's been hard. Everything looks good health-wise, and we're young still, so I think it's going to happen when the time is right. In the meantime, we've started the process to become foster parents. I know I'll be happy with any child God wants to put in my life."

On what she envisions for her channel: "With all that's happening in the world lately, it's become harder for me to sit in my room and talk about makeup. I'm struggling with that a little bit. I don't exactly know where my life is headed next, but I do know that in two years, my channel will probably look totally different. Whatever happens, I know this: Life is too short to not fulfill your dreams."