FROM PRETTY TO PRETTY POWERFUL: THE MEANING OF EMPOWERED BEAUTY

“ I really believe that when you feel good about yourself, there’s no limit to what you can do in your life-and that’s pretty powerful stuff.”

- Bobbi Brown

When I was growing up, I never did care about my physical self. I would go to school without combing my hair nor putting cute clips or fancy headbands on my head like what other girls my age would do back then. And much worse, I would even go to school without taking a bath! Yes, that’s how I am when I was young.

And when I entered High School, I started noticing things about my physical appearance. I noticed that my skin wasn’t flawless, I was fat, dark, and my hair was lackluster, thin, and straight (I envied girls with wavy hair). And every time I look at the mirror, all I see is an ordinary and an (I would doa big gulp every time I’ll say this) UGLY me.

Then one fateful day, my mother told me that I should learn how to make the most of what I have, and that I should always try to make an impression by always looking my best.

And this remarkable quotation started my encounter with make- up and skincare.

Like all first- times, we always make a lot of mistakes before we learn. Make- up and skincare were my first tools in recreating my image. Make- up totally transformed me. Every time I put on make- up, I feel as if I’m a different Martha. My skin looked more flawless, my lips are red and juicy, and false eyelashes did the trick in making my eyes look tempting and pretty, contact lenses gave me a whole new look, and whitening scrubs and creams made me achieve beautiful and fair skin. I was enjoying my whole new image because I gained more confidence about myself. I started getting new friends and entertaining new suitors. Oh, the possibilities and attention are endless when you are extraordinary!

Me wearing hazel- colored Contact lens every time i'll go to school!

But at the end of each day, every time I remove every single trace of make- up, every time I peel off the false eyelashes and take out the contact lenses, I still see the same old me. All the painstaking and time- consuming process that I had to go through in putting make- up and using skincare stuff did not change the fact that at the end of the day, my face is still the same. And I realized that I am still on the road of frustration.

I recall the time when I had an epiphany about beauty when I was a sophomore in college. I was staring at myself in the mirror, and I started to really ponder on what my mom meant when she said “Look your absolute best everywhere you go”. Then I realized that no matter what I do, whatever God has given me will never change and can never be replaced. And if that’s the case, it’s a matter of MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT YOU HAVE.

And that’s the time when I started to appreciate the real meaning of beauty.

The fact that I told myself before that make- up TRANSFORMS me is the start of the disillusion. The fact that I want to be transformed is an indication that I do not love myself, no matter how much I proclaim to everyone that I do. I’ve realized that make- up became my mask. It hid all the imperfections, but it never did eradicate them. The process of becoming someone else was tiring, but unsatisfying. I can't help but tell myself “I ACTUALLY WORE THIS MUCH MAKE- UP???” whenever I come across an old picture of me wearing tons of make- up.

My mother was a faithful Bobbi Brown user. She has been using the brand for more than ten years. When I was younger, I used to see these Bobbi Brown make- ups, but I was more attracted to brands with brighter and bolder colors. I used to think before that Bobbi Brown is for older women because of the neutral and plain shades of the brand. She told me that she loves Bobbi Brown because the colors are natural and practical. The colors enhance your face without making you look too made up. She’s such a fan of the brand that she knows the fact that Bobbi is fond of pink on girls and women, because pink imitates the natural glow and tint of the skin.

Bobbi Brown's Pale Pink blush started my love affair with the brand. It came in round, screw- top pots back then.

And it’s now in the new flip top square packaging. I still fall in love with the candy pink glow every time I swipe the color on my cheeks! I must say that this has got to be my most favorite Bobbi Brown product of all time.

I’m glad I opened myself up to the brand because Bobbi Brown has the most accurate shades for any skin tone in my opinion. The shades of the foundation are not color- correct, but skin tone- correct, which enables customers to find their perfect match easily and precisely. The pink shades are mistake- proof because whether you choose any shade of pink, the color just naturally warms or cools the skin tone, without making your cheeks stand out in a weird way. And the creamy eye pencils are love! The pencil imparts a soft color that’s perfect for lining your brows, and lower and upper lash lines without giving off a striking appearance.

Bobbi Brown is known and appreciated worldwide by women because of her signature philosophy: Enhance women through make- up, not transform them. And that philosophy is reflected in her products.

Recently, she launched the Pretty Powerful Campaign in New York. It is a campaign that aims to help women find the true meaning of being beautiful, and appreciate their natural beauty. Along with the campaign comes two limited edition make- up palettes: PRETTY (For young ones) and POWERFUL (For mature ones). Each palette is customized in such a way where all the colors will compliment each other, making the palette completely wearable.

I was one of the chosen few who got an invite from Bobbi Brown Phils. to take part in their Pretty Powerful contest. Apart from the fabulous prizes, I joined primarily because of the essence of the campaign. I have always supported and helped girls and women who appreciate and who try to appreciate real beauty. I don't have an online signature campaign nor an organization, but by simply reaching out to women who ask me daily on what make- up would look good on them is my crusade in promoting real and natural beauty.

The Pretty Powerful Palettes will be launched this February 2011 in the Philippines.

Ladies and Gentlemen, here is moi without make- up. And at this moment, I appreciate that pretty face!

Products used: Bobbi Brown Skin foundation (Warm Natural), Bobbi Brown Pretty Palette (Blush: Pretty Pink; Lipstick: Sandwash Pink; Eyes: Chocolate Caviar (creases) and Pink Flannel (lids))

And here’s moi wearing the colors of the Bobbi Brown Pretty Palette. And that’s more like it! It’s still me, only prettier. There are little pimple bumps on the cheeks, semi- concealed dark circles, and slightly covered- up marks. But I don’t mind. These tiny imperfections make me look and feel like… ME!

Make- up now has a whole new meaning to me. It is something that slightly tweaks my face without completely changing it. It is something that makes my face look better, but not different. And knowing that I can still be me without having to morph my appearance makes me feel more confident, and more appreciative of what God has given me. My journey with make- up was a fun one, and it is one of the things that made me who I am today.

I am so happy for having that epiphany about personal beauty. And whatever make- up fad comes out in the market, I am so sure that I will still stick with whatever it is that enhances my natural beauty. After all, make- up should make you feel confident for who you are, not for what you will look like after. And make- up should never be something scary or too complicated for beginners. In the first place, make- up should be the solution, not the obstacle. Fads will remain as fads. They will be gone after some time, but the basic, simple, clean, and natural beauty will stay forever. It will always captivate and illuminate. It will make you happy and confident about yourself. And being contented with what you have is the key in finding beauty amidst imperfections. Now that’s PRETTY POWERFUL!

Check out other pretty powerful stories by joining BOBBI BROWN'S FANPAGE. Find out what's the latest with Bobbi Brown and know all about the Pretty Powerful campaign!

"The love of beauty in its multiple forms is the noblest gift of the human cerebrum."

~Alexis Carrel ~

HOW ABOUT YOU? WHAT MAKES YOU PRETTY POWERFUL?