Gripping the makeup brush, a student hesitantly began to apply foundation to her face. Mary Kay was one of the three booths at the Empowerment Day for women, hosted by Feminists Raising Empowerment and Equality (FREE).

“I’m OK if she does it. I would probably fail miserably,” Erika Rhinehart said as she took the makeup brush from Brooke Crist, student and Mary Kay consultant.

Compared to Crist, who expertly smoothed the beige cream in even strokes, Rhinehart jabbed blush onto her cheeks with her index finger. Crist then told Rhinehart to use the last three fingers to rub the blush in circles on her cheekbones.

“In order to feel good with it on you need to feel good with it off first,” Rhinehart said after her make-over was complete. Beauty comes from within, so that is where feeling good starts, she said.

Some women are never taught how to apply makeup when they are girls, and for events like job interviews it is important to know how to apply make-up professionally, Jill Hastings, sales director for Mary Kay, said.

Looking good can help people to feel more confident. Wearing make-up for women is similar to football players donning a new uniform. They feel good about themselves, so they play well. Makeup, like a uniform, is meant to help women balance being powerful and feminine, Hastings said.

In addition to the Mary Kay booth was the Freedom Firm booth selling jewelry made by women in India who had been rescued from human trafficking.

Freedom Firm teaches abused women how to make jewelry, read, use a computer and live a normal life, Jill Klingerman, president of FREE, said.

FREE also supported the “spectrum” of women being women at the adjacent booth. People are not divided into men or women, gay or straight, Molly Yanchuck, member of FREE, said. The world is not black and white, but made up of a spectrum of colors, she said. 

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