MAC magic

War paint: Every woman's daily weapon
By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Different getups require varying intensities of face color to achieve a particular look, may it be for work or play. But that look has to be cool and collected. Like an orchestra that produces a singular sound, all makeup colors must be in harmony with everything about it - from hairstyle to accessories, and the apparel being worn.


Sometimes, all that's needed is a dab of rouge on the lips and cheeks, or a sweep of mascara on the lashes. At times, just a dab of powder or foundation will do. And in rare instances, just a pat of lip gloss. Yet, however amount of color is needed, what makes all the difference is the appropriateness of the makeup applied to one's countenance. It must not be overly heavy and make one look like a clown, nor too pale and look like a corpse. Every occasion, most especially at work, has its own facial color requirement; from an eight-hour office stay to an all-day job in the outdoors, or those that require to have power lunches and cocktails or dinners thrown into their schedules.


It took a young mother of two from La Union - Leonora Sy-Casas - to decide it was high time to rectify all the wrong facial colors she's seeing in the visage of kind-hearted and dedicated women she had the opportunity of meeting in her many outreach projects. All the wrong make-up, or the lack of it, has masked and obstructed the warm personalities of these women. And like a worn-out book cover, people would tend to go for the outer package than appreciate what lies beneath.

Mrs. Casas, who is fondly called Dimples by family and friends, started her outreach projects in 2008. As an adopted daughter of the PNPA's Bagsaylahi Class of 2006, she joined the Brigada KKK (Karunungan, Kalusugan, at Kalikasan) program of tree planting, feeding, and gifting of school supplies to help very poor pupils in their studies.

Two years later, she, through the Sy Group of Companies, sent ten scholars, who were direct relatives of slain PNP personnel, to school again and continue their interrupted studies. Her family's business is into poultry, cosmetics, hotels, restaurants, import/export, and financing.

"Most of my outreach projects are in helping the PNP because my husband is a policeman. I want to help change the bad perception of people towards men in uniform so I help my husband's unit when they go on feeding programs and in the distribution of school supplies in schools, far-flung barangays, and orphanages. I wanted to share my blessings, too, that's why I'm doing all these projects. To cater to my feminine side, I'm embarking on this makeup tutorial program that I hope would one day become a nationwide effort. And I'm targeting busy women, especially women in uniform. They need to look and feel good too," shared the Political Science graduate, who also happens to be a member of the Regional Advisory Council of the PNP/CIDG/RIAS of Region 1.


So, on one drizzling weekday night, women from all walks of life gathered in an appointed venue in San Fernando City  to get vital information and hands-on training for a skill they'd need for most of their working days and/or nights.


For this particular session, a Canadian makeup brand - MAC Cosmetics - shared beauty tips tailor-made for career women who were always on the go: For the women of today who barely have time to set their faces properly and be conscious of how they look in their respective workplaces. However, time is always of the essence; and time is most precious to busy women, especially to those who do moonlighting jobs after their regular office hours.


The tutorial sessions revealed secrets to looking sharp at the top of their game by applying facial makeup professionally so as to stay and look prepared without the hassles of retouching for a long period of time. It has provided the answer to every woman's everyday ordeal of wanting to feel and look good throughout the gruelling hours of the day and into the night.

The invited professional artists imparted their know-how by suggesting long-wearing formulas as well as application techniques for achieving extended wear. The lecturers considered budgetary constraints but pinpointed on the must-haves in every woman's makeup arsenal.


Prime mover Leonora Sy-Casas has recognized this need for women-on-the-go to look and feel good and empowered throughout their hours at work; with the least effort of applying makeup, or war paint in distaff parlance, in the shortest time to achieve the look of power on their faces. After all, a little dab of color is what it takes for women to feel more ready to face the world!

"It's been a dream of mine to do a simultaneous beauty crash course project for the entire region, as a pilot program, that would eventually spread throughout the entire archipelago," revealed the mom of Francesca (9) and Tiago (4). After eleven years, Dimples and hubby Frank renewed their marital vows, this time in a church wedding, last October 7th.

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