The Beauty and Empowerment Issue

 

Dear OM readers,

The beauty and empowerment issue is here, and it's a thing of beauty. I had a lot of fun working on this issue, mainly because of the wonderful woman behind Maharlika Cosmetics, Sabrina Davis. Her patience and good humor make her an excellent partner, and the incredible passion and hard work she puts into her brand make her an excellent role model! This issue's topic was very close to my heart. I have always struggled to reconcile my passion for beauty with what I felt was my duty to feminism. Perhaps the only downside to activism coming into the mainstream is what I call the "terms and conditions" - all of the gatekeeping. Makeup is in turns empowering, self-care, and the downfall of third-wave feminism. I've learned to block out the noise (honestly, as long as your choices don't negatively impact other people, you're not being a bad feminist!), but still cannot help but wonder if the three mascara tubes sitting on my desk do discredit me in some way. If this is sounding familiar to you, this issue will be balm to your deeply guilty feminism soul. These articles will give you the permission you never needed, but still wanted, to be your most glamorous, beautiful-inside-and-out self. Beauty and empowerment may seem like two buzzwords strung together, but the two have always been linked - at least for me. Freshly straightened hair, a blinding highlight, and nail polish (no matter how smudged it is), make me feel far more confident, going into a meeting or test - emphasis on me. Beauty is a personal choice, and making the one you want to is nothing short of empowering, and that is what this issue is all about - your choice. Thank you to the team at OM (special mention to managing editor Francine Canayan and editorial team member Lauren Turner!), all of the writers, and Sabrina Davis for making this issue a reality.We have a great issue for you. I hope you enjoy it.

Yours,

Rehana Paul

Founder, Editor-in-Chief

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The Culture and Confidence Issue