Washington Post: For Russian Women, Whiff of the Good Life

[Elena Gapova]

Yes, interesting:
"We are not moving toward the unisex look like in the rest of the world,
which connects to a negative attitude toward feminism," she said. "We
are moving in a different direction."

If the world did not move in that same direction, Estee Lauder, L'Oreal,
Clinique etc. would not generate that much profit. Consumerism (also of
cosmetics) is about class formation.
Two years ago NYT published a big article on Afghan women, who are
now free and can enjoy cosmetics and beauty parlors, and Estee Lauder,
L'Oreal and Mary Kay forgot their corporate fraud and joined forces to
move there in one common impulse to introduce Afghan women to their
rights. Some women cannot read or write, and for these corporations
shoot videos on how to apply makeup.

e.g.

Beet root for cheeks that women supposedly used not so long ago reminds
one of the "Doctor Zhivago" movie where noble families pass on balalaikas
to their sons as family relics and symbols of familial continuity.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------