For Avon, the power of beauty cannot be underestimated: it’s not frivolous or vain - for many women it is key to building confidence and self-belief.
Avon believes in the power of beauty. As part of its stand4her commitment, the company will support self-expression by challenging stereotypes, supporting freedom of expression, democratising beauty and representing a wide range of women.
The company promises to continue to provide accessible, quality products at affordable prices, straight from the catwalk to the sidewalk, such as its stand4her beauty kit, a collection of five universal products that give women the power to create beauty their way. To mark the launch of the stand4her beauty pack, the Avon Foundation for Women is donating $100,000 USD to fund education programmes for girls and women.
In celebration of the power of beauty, Avon has also showcased some fabulous women - from a breast cancer survivor to a transgender woman, who use makeup as a tool to take on the world.
Alice: make-up is my arsenal to take on the world
"My make-up routine is fairly simple and basic but really important in making me feel comfortable and strong," explains Alice.
"After my treatment for breast cancer, my eyebrows never grew back, and so the main part of my make-up routine is applying my eyebrows. When I apply my eyebrows, it makes me feel like me again and helps me get back to who I was before cancer.
"My signature look is a bright red lip. And even throughout my treatment when I lost my hair and eyebrows I would always put on a bright red lipstick. It would bring me strength and I would feel ready to face anything."
Gemma: make-up gets me ready to conquer the world
“When I put my make-up on I feel complete. It gives me a feeling of power and the confidence to step out into the world," says Gemma.
"Although I go for quite natural looks and am comfortable without make-up, I am never without my mascara and it’s definitely on my desert island list," she adds.
"Make-up is a really powerful tool. Not only can it lift a whole appearance if you’re feeling a bit tired or like you don’t look your best, it can also raise your mood and spirits. The benefits of make-up aren’t just on the outside, they are on the inside as well.”
Cambell: I wear make-up to feel like me
“When I first started transitioning, make-up was really important for me. It helped me feel like me. I used it to feminise myself and my features to help me express myself and who I was inside," says Cambell.
"I'm known for my highlighter and nude lip; I am never without highlighter and always look glowy. During the day I go for a natural look, but I love to bring it up a few notches at night with a red or purple lip. I love experimenting with make-up and finding new looks," she explains.
"Feminism for me is being able to do what you want with your life and body. And make-up is one of my tools. Whether we wear makeup or not is up to us and our individual choice as women.”
Gabriela: there's a feeling of ritual when I put my make-up on
“It makes me feel more comfortable and worry less about the little imperfections I feel self-conscious about," comments Gabriela.
"Make-up has definitely been something I’ve grown into. I used to put a lot of make-up on every day when I was much younger but now prefer a more natural look," she adds.
"Don’t get me wrong, I still love to dress up and experiment with new looks! When I go out I’ll always put on a red and instantly feel like I’m a different person. I feel more powerful and, when I finish applying it, I get that feeling of ‘Lets do this!’”
Marina: make-up has a transformative power
“Make-up has such a transformative power for how you see yourself and how others see you. I love that you don't even need a lot to make a big difference," says Marina.
"I remember watching my mum using her lipstick, not just for her lips but also as her blush, so it would match. If I had to choose one item of make-up to take to a desert island, it would be lipstick. It’s so multifunctional," she adds.
"I wouldn’t say I have a signature style, but I always follow the rule of only highlighting one feature with an accent, colour or style - either lips or eyes - but never both at the same time.”
Grace: I just want to look like myself, happy and glowy
"Most of the time, I go for a more ‘natural’ look with very little make-up. I’m 28 and it's only this year that I have started wearing foundation," says Grace. "If I go out I always go for a red lip, I feel it makes me pop and I feel cool and sexy,"
"When I got married my mum wanted me to look like Miss Venezuela; she said I should wear fake eyelashes and I would look like an angel," she adds. "But I just wanted to look like myself, happy and glowy.”
Celebrate the power of beauty with an Avon career
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.