Women face a bunch of stereotypes: they are passive, they are the weaker gender, they should only have one role in their life, and either smart or beautiful—but not both.
Society’s view on women is evolving for the better, but there’s still a long way to go. Thankfully, we don’t have a shortage of women who continuously break the barriers and prove that females are not the stereotypes assigned to them.
“One of the main stereotypes I’d like to break is that women cannot do what men can,” says Dr. Ian Banzon, a medical practitioner, national athlete for Water Polo, and triathlete. “In my case, that’s doing sports and making it a part of your career.”
Dr. Banzon, is one of the many examples of women who excel in sports, not to mention juggling it with her medical profession.
Shamcey Supsup-Lee is a beauty pageant titleholder—third-runner up in Miss Universe 2013—and a practicing architect. She would have been living an enviable life, if only people didn’t assume that she couldn’t do her job that involves being out in the sun because she’s a beauty queen.
“There’s a different reaction when I tell people that I practice architecture. Whenever I have to represent my company, I have to bring my portfolio as well,” relates Supsup-Lee.
She adds, “They don’t believe that I am practicing, and, sometimes, they think I am too young to design such a big structure.”
Supsup-Lee also admits that prior to her Binibining Pilipinas stint, she always thought she couldn’t be beautiful while doing her job. “I’m always under the sun, I always have dirt on my clothes, on my shoes, and I feel not so glamorous as an architect. But I thought, I can still be beautiful even though I work in this kind of environment.”
On the flip side, joining beauty pageants is her way of breaking stereotypes that contestants of such competition are only pretty and sexy, nothing much else.
“When I joined Binibining Pilipinas, I was able to learn that we all have different stories, we all have something to contribute to our communities. It really changed my perception on beauty queens, that’s why I also want to change other people’s perception on beauty queens by being who I am: by being an architect and being a mom,” she shares.
Speaking of motherhood, model and Lifestyle journalist Marie Lozano shares how people often get surprised whenever she tells them she’s a mom. Her slender physique, pretty face, and demanding career don’t seem to fit in a life of a mother. A stereotype she wants to break.
“Moms are modern women. They have careers, they juggle their work and motherhood, and can look good—they don’t have to look like ‘manang’,” emphasizes Lozano.
Dr. Banzon, Supsup-Lee, and Lozano are proof that women can be both accomplished and attractive, reason why beauty and skin care label Celeteque tapped them to be ambassadors of its #ThinkPlusBeautiful campaign.
Céleteque’s #ThinkPlusBeautiful campaign zeroes in on the idea that smart beauty choices are the best ones, and that a true woman of substance knows exactly what she needs to achieve healthy and beautiful skin.
Using science to produce clinically proven results and co-created with dermatologists, the Céleteque DermoScience skin care and DermoCosmetics makeup lines cover a wide range of products that improve and beautify the skin: Hydration, Advanced Anti-Aging, Sun Care, Acne Solutions, Brightening, Sun Care, Hair & Scalp Care, and Everyday Cosmetics.
“You know what, I wasn’t blessed with great skin. I’m acne-prone. So, I’m very careful with what I put on my face. Céleteque, being non-comodegenic and approved by dermatologists, is the perfect choice,” enthuses Supsup-Lee.