This match will take place at the Munroe Road Recreation Ground in Cunupia.

Also in the Premiership Division today, Cricket Lovers will oppose Hibiscus Ladies at the Pinto Road Recreation Ground in Arima while Moosai will battle Preysal Phoenix at the Balmain Recreation Ground in Couva.

There is also a fixture in the Championship Division today with Waterloo All Stars squaring off against Mafeking Sports at the Brickfield Recreation Ground in Waterloo.

Matches in the Premiership Division will bowl off at 11 am while the Championship Division contest will begin at noon.

Sixth Round Results (March 5) – Premiership Division – At Hardial Park, Macoya: PLAYERS 75 (36 overs) – Anisa Mohammed 30; Shanice Pascall 4/30, Allison Collins 3/12, Alice Collings 2/20 vs HIBISCUS LADIES 76/2 (15 overs) – Rachel Vincent 37, Rosalie Dolabille 17 not out; Shanmatie Nowrang 2/18. Hibiscus Ladies won by eight wickets.

At Pinto Road Recreation Ground: CRICKET LOVERS 74 (26.5 overs) – Sarah Charles 17, Ariel Gomez 12; Karishma Ramharack 4/20, Leeann Kirby 3/14 vs MOOSAI SPORTS CLUB 75/2 (16.5 overs) – Leeann Kirby 37, Amanda Samaroo 17 not out. Moosai Sports won by eight wickets.

At Esmeralda Recreation Ground, Cunupia: TECHNOCRATS vs PREYSAL PHOENIX.

Match abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain.

Championship Division – At Couva Secondary School Ground: PREYSAL ACHIEVERS vs UWI SPORTS CLUB.

Match abandoned due to rain.

At Mulchan Seuchan Park, Waterloo: WATERLOO ALL STARS 88/7 (20 overs) – K Vidale 10; Aniaya Roberts 2/11, Chantel Emmanuel 2/17 vs MAFEKING SPORTS 89/5 (15.4 overs) – Tenese Garcia 32 not out, Chantel Emmanuel 12, M Grant 11 not out; Isabel Levine 2/24. Mafeking Sports won by five wickets.

This after 10-man Jabloteh improved their stranglehold of Group E in St Vincent with a 4-1 comeback win over Guadeloupe’s Club Sportif Moulien on Friday at Victoria Park in Kingstown.

Panamanian midfielder Jairo Lambardo, 19, scored on either side of the break to cushion Jabloteh, after the San Juan Kings needed an equaliser through Verlon Mills after midfielder Minji Gomez had first put Moulien ahead.

Nathan Lewis capped off the victory with a late item but Jabloteh, already without injured striker Jamal Gay, must do without influential captain Damian Williams in their final group stage game against second-positioned System 3 Sport Academy today.

The Jamaican defensive midfielder received a direct red card midway in the second half.

His position will be filled by Kion Joseph, Elijah Manners or Keyon Edwards, who according to coach Keith Jeffrey, have all “stepped up their game making the selection process a difficult one.” The win kept Jabloteh perfect with six points and a superior goal difference of +12 ahead of the clash against Vincentian team System 3 who have three points and a +3 goal difference.

System 3, with a mountain of a challenge against Jabloteh, crushed Flames United 9-2 in the second game on Friday, jumping ahead of Moulien (3 points / +1 goal-difference) on goal difference, while Flames, who will face the Guadeloupe side in their final game today, are anchored at the bottom without a point.

While a win or a draw will see Jabloteh through to the Final Round, a loss – based on the goal margin – can also suffice.

“We want to leave with nine points,” said Keith Jeffrey, who plans to rotate his squad against System 3.

“We want to finish as shining group winners, but this game also allows us the opportunity to give other players more playing time, such as Tyrone Charles, Kadeem Corbin and Kennedy Hinkson, and give the team some fresh legs.” The Jabloteh coach described the performances of Nathan Lewis, Keithy Simpson, Lombardo and Verlon Mills as “tremendous”, and said the competition within his entire team has been brilliant. He also singled out the performances of goalkeepers Javon Sample against Flames United and Andrew Durant against Moulien as great for the team.

Moulien had grabbed the lead on 13 minutes through Gomez and Jeffrey conceded that his side was outplayed for the first 20 minutes against the Guadeloupe outfit.

“I was very much impressed by Moulien,” said Jeffrey.

“They were similar to Central FC in Trinidad, good structure in their play and all.

But they (Moulien) didn’t have the speed to complement their play. Our speed and movement made the difference for us.” Mills equalised for Jabloteh on 17 minutes, the Guyana winger’s second goal of the tournament, before left-footed talent Lombardo gave the Pro League outfit a 2-1 lead by the 20th-minute.

Lombardo completed his double in the 68th-minute with his third goal of the campaign before he was replaced injured.

Lewis, who scored a hat-trick against Flames in Wednesday’s 9-0 opening win, got his fourth goal of the campaign five minutes from the end as Jabloteh moved one step closer to the Final Round.

Central, as reigning champions received a bye to the Final Round which will be contested in two groups of three, with the overall group winners advancing into the title match and the Caribbean’s place in the newly re-formatted CONCACAF Champions League

Watson, in a candid discussion with the students, delved into her background which included fighting, gambling, drug use and the psychological trauma of having to cope with the loss of her best friend and Women’s Boxing Hall of Famer Giselle Salandy eight years ago.

Watson and Salandy were driving west in a Toyota Yaris on January 4, 2009 heading into Port of Spain when the former national boxing champion lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a concrete pillar along the Beetham.

Watson spoke of the serious injuries she sustained in the accident, how it affected her career as a professional footballer along with her ability to battle and overcome the emotions of surviving the accident while her friend did not.

The tragic accident, which gripped the attention of the nation, saw Watson suffer two broken legs and remained in critical condition for quite some time.

She never recovered physically or psychologically to resume playing football at a high level.

For Watson, she is lucky enough to able to recall the horrific night as she described it as the moment she lost everything in a split second. Watson’s footballing dreams were shattered in an instant and she drowned herself in depression for two years.

But instead of continuously slipping into the darkness, she decided on using her other talents to inspire the future generation to take heed of everything in life and be mindful of not taking loved ones for granted.

Speaking to the students in attendance, Watson stated, “The accident didn’t only take Giselle’s life, it also ended mine the way I knew it to be.” She continued, “You have to take responsibility for your actions now as you are the ones to face the consequences of them later on. In life, take your time because there is no need to rush things as they will eventually fall into place, appreciate your parents and those around you and never forget to think about your future and make strategic steps in the right direction.” As one one of the leading figures and motivational speaker in the Brick-House team, Watson was accompanied on stage by Charnell Lucien and Bryant Henry who also addressed the feature topic of Combating Depression.

Lucien captivated the audience as she delivered her spoken word speech which consisted of word-play with song lyrics, to positively touch the youths, while Henry’s miming performance got the students off their feet.

The programme is geared towards opening the eyes and minds of youths in the nation by showing them that they have control of their lives.

Speaking with Newsday after the event, Watson passionately emphasised: “This initiative was developed because we wanted to reach out to the youths and give them an insight into the different struggles currently taking place in the country and how they can better prepare themselves for the realities of life.” She added: “While we, the current generation, may not be able to change the future for the children, we can certainly get them ready for it instead.” The Brick-House team is currently on the move as they continue to schedule visits to promote positivity by performing in various schools. Their next target is Cedros Secondary School next Wednesday. For more information and to make booking arrangements, contact 476-2001.

The 23-year-old found the target in the 35th and 45th minutes, on his international debut, to virtually force his way into coach Dennis Lawrence’s selection thoughts, ahead of the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Panama (March 24) and Mexico (March 28).

Boatswain, who replaced striker Jameel Perry in the 31 st minute, stated, “It felt great.

Coming on, I was making my debut for the national team. It felt great.” His first goal came with his first attacking move, as he met a long ball from Darren Mitchell, stumbled but regained his footing to hit a powerful right footer beyond the reach of goalkeeper Dario Weir.

He commented, “I say (to myself) ‘as I get the first opportunity, I (was) going to the goal and I’m going to score.’ And that was the first option and the first thought in my mind.” Boatswain was subsequently replaced by Akeem Roach in the 62nd and Lawrence admitted that he wanted to use his three strikers in half-hour periods.

Asked if he felt he did enough to make Lawrence’s choice of strikers harder, Boatswain replied, “Yes because we get 30 minutes each and, to me, I felt I got my fair chance.

“I come and deliver, scoring my two goals and it would be a tough decision (for him) to pick the team for the qualifiers.” In January, Boatswain left Point Fortin Civic to join Defence Force, and his performances were crucial as Defence Force retained their Digicel Pro Bowl title last month.

He pointed out, “The transition is good. The players (in Defence Force) like me, I play around them, I get service to score and it’s a great feeling around the camp.” But, regarding his move from Point Fortin Civic, he said, “It was a (somewhat) challenging decision because my navel string is in Point. To (leave) Point and go Army and face (Point) in the League, it was a hard decision.

But, at the end of the day, decisions have to be made.” As far as his immediate aspirations are concerned, Boatswain said, “I (am) looking to challenge myself to at least score in every game, at least one or two. That is my challenge.

Both (for) club and country.” Reflecting on his career thus far, he said, “As a youngster I (came) under a development coach Neville Frederick. Then after I left to go the Under-18s at Point Fortin Civic. I played with South End and Caledonia (AIA).

I went to school in St Benedict’s.

That was the developing stage of my career.” He ended, “I was always a striker. That’s the position I love.”

The head cover, called the “Nike Pro Hijab,” boasts a singlelayer pull-on design made from lightweight polyester in dark, neutral colours. According to Nike, the fabric’s tiny holes will make it breathable while remaining opaque, a requirement for hijab-wearing women.

It’s also super-stretchy for a personalized _ t that adapts to the wearer and is designed using _ uff threads to eliminate rubbing and irritation.

Nike said it began developing the hijab after some Muslim athletes complained about wearing a traditional head scarf during competition.

The Pro Hijab was designed in collaboration with several Muslim athletes including weightlifter Amna Al Haddad. Nike said the garment has been tested by Egyptian running coach Manal Rostom and is already being worn by Emirati _ gure skater Zahra Lari.

“I was thrilled and a bit emotional to see Nike prototyping a Hijab,” Lari said in a statement. “I’ve tried so many different hijabs for performance, and … so few of them actually work for me. But once I put it on and took it for a spin on the ice, I was blown away by the _ t and the light weight.” Response online to the hijab has been mostly positive, but some hijab wearers have questioned Nike’s decision to make branded hijabs.

Sporting hijabs have been around for several years, but Nike is the _ rst major international company to embrace the sports needs of Muslim women. Small sporting brands such as Capsters and ResportOn have previously been seen as leading brands of sporting hijabs.

Nike’s Pro Hijab will be available in three different colourways, black, vast grey and obsidian, early next year.

She _ rst started her journey in traditional mas many moons ago, playing the Dame Lorraine alongside her mother, June Sankar. But this portrayal was only the seed of the sapling. “I found it was too passive. At the time, I wanted something new so I extended over into the Jab Molassie where that in itself evolved with a crossbreed of the Fancy Jab,” she says of her interest in darker depictions of mas.

In 2016, her characterisation of the La Diablesse went viral in media outlets and the online community – her costuming included a hoof so tall, she says her height was near comparable to that of one of her sons’ who wore Moko Jumbie stilts.

This year, her portrayal of the Lagahoo, traditionally a wolf-like shape shifter, extended to the representation of women scorned and abused – a woman with vengeance. Her costuming inspired awe and stirred feelings of discomfort among onlookers, and was widely shared on social media with many praising her aesthetic and traditional portrayal. Her son, Jude, also portrayed another character etched into our folklore alongside his mother: the Douen.

“The Douen really ‘sprung up’: we were to incorporate Peanut (her family’s nickname for Jude) under the bustle of the skirt of the Lagahoo but in the last month before Carnival, he had a growth spurt,” she says of the organic (and zany) way Jude’s portrayal of the douen came about.

There were even makings of method within his portrayal as Tracey says he is unbaptized. “He took on the manifestation well; as soon as his mask went on, he embodied that character,” she says proudly.

Tracey describes her artistry as high mas – mas where the subject is entangled spiritually, mentally, and emotionally with their character. She says the Lagahoo, much like her La Diablesse, was borne out of “a personal mas”. Her La Diablesse was given its genesis in the aftermath of her husband’s death; the couple had been married for twenty years and had four children together.

“My ladies are now evolving; it’s taking a personal note due to the male individuals that have been in my life within the last two years,” she says of the inspiration behind her recent mas characters.

The Lagahoo, she reveals, was pulled out of her through “a very personal friend” for whom she has deep admiration, respect, and love.

Originally, her plan for 2017 was to play a Burokeet (or “donkey-man”) but Tracey says, as with life’s situations and human connections, her art is in a state of constant evolution. “It turned into something really macabre; I had no idea what was going to happen.” She describes the process of her brand of mas making as exhausting: “I have to prepare spiritually and mentally before, and when an idea comes, it keeps changing over a period of time.” She says the process includes a bush bath before her performance (“We blight and obeah still dey, yuh know!”) to protect her from “bad eye”. She refers to the spirits as an entity that guides her creation as well.

“Sometimes the spirits want something else put on, the cloth must be different, they want something up, something down,” she enacts. For her, her faith (which she prefers not to divulge) in_ uences every aspect of her costuming; it is a spiritual and ritual experience that brings her closer to the spirits of Carnival.

She also felt the story of her Lagahoo needed to be told. While she does not reveal the exact narrative behind her portrayal, she believes our indigenous stories and folklore – ingrained pieces of our culture that continue to haunt us – are there to be shared.

“Any story is there to be told. My women characters all take on a manifestation of my folklore. It’s not as if you put a costume on and you palance – that has its time and place. But as with any other mas – whether it is my friend Rosy playing the Bat or my mother playing the Dame Lorraine or my sister or my daughter, the characters all have backgrounds that must be told,” she says of her belief that high mas and traditional mas are deeper invocations of histories and cultures.

Her passion for mas is not lost on her children.

She says all four are highly involved in different iterations of mas and she hopes to pioneer a return of mas as family-oriented; art that all members of the family can portray, partake in, and learn from. Her hopes for next year are to acquire funding for a traditional mas-only section in a Carnival band that will not only allow persons to don the costumes but become entrenched in the rich stories and associations the characters hold in our country’s history.

“I hope that when children in school open the papers [on Ash Wednesday], they will see their history in the characters and identify with them.

‘The woman with the big breasts and bottom’ – who is that? Half of TT is woman with big breasts and bottom!” she says with a straight face. “What is the character called? When did it start? What is behind the tradition?” she continues with her reasoning behind keeping the characters and their portrayals within a context that marks it as exclusively indigenous – whether to our shores or motherlands.

“I always had my hand delving in the arts,” Tracey says of her long history with creation. She _ rst started making mas in the 1980s with Trinity Carnival Foundation, a far cry from the mas that she makes now for he rself and her children. “My kids are all very artistic. Even my Jessie, who is autistic, we all push for doing something artistic.

“I push them to express themselves, whether it’s in writing or theatre. When you have your kids well-grounded in something to express themselves, you allow them to be,” she says of the support children need to extend themselves to their fullest potential. She also speaks of her own passion for performance art, likening her mas characters to such.

In the future, she would love to become a lecturer of Carnival Studies and is in the process of reviewing this _ eld with Studio 66. She also hopes to have an exhibition of traditional mas characters later this year, once she is able to secure the funding. She hopes this exhibition will also encourage other mas players to come out in their portrayals to show others the personal side of mas – the mas that sees the person and their character bonded into one.

“My whole house is upside down. My section in the studio is upside down. And I love seeing my mas out,” she says of the artistic chaos her work takes up in her life. And after every performance, she sits down, “with my pipe”, and meditates on what is to come.

“What is behind the mask?” she asks mysteriously, referring to the deeper connection mas has with its subjects. “It’s a very deep and macabre thing; when you put something over your eyes to block out or to see – whatever it may be – you are not doing so through the eyes of the mask. To those who are spiritually grounded in the mas, they would understand. The ‘mask’ is something that prepares you for the character you play. My son was deep into character [of the douen] and he was allowed to see and become once he put on his mask. ‘Becoming’ is a very personal word to anyone playing Traditional mas.

You don’t play the character, you become the character.” She says over time, many persons have spoken about her portrayals in both positive and negative tones, but the commentary does not affect her art.

“People will talk, people will bad mouth but you come into this world by yourself and you will leave by yourself,” she says irreverently.

Her advice to persons who may consider High mas for its deeper connotations is to detach from the words and thoughts of others and hone in on the need and thirst to portray the mas as you see _ t.

“Don’t do other people, do you,” she advises, although it seems that this may be her own personal mantra – impertinent, self-preserving, and independent.

An English, Literature, and Communication Studies teacher by profession, Candice taught at two girls’ school for three years. However, unable to access a permanent position at the institutions, she decided to spread her wings in a new direction.

“I left teaching to open an all-day breakfast caf? called Amour Et Caf?,” she says of the new path her professional life took, adding that she feels at home in the kitchen creating new and exciting meals. Amour Et Caf? was a highly successful venture, says the entrepreneur, which included weekly open mic events and occasional art exhibitions, but due to unforeseen circumstances, she had to close her doors.

“However, my cake selection was still in demand so I started Fairy Cakes! as an online business and by order-only,” she says of the new form her business took. “I don’t consider any of my ventures failures, they were just ladders taking me to where I need to be.”

Apart from her entrepreneurship, Candice is also an advocate for the rights of women and girls and is part of the “Yes She Can” initiative, a movement started to promote health and wellness as part of the holistic growth and empowerment of women and girls. She also engages in charity work with her husband’s company, Green House Events, geared towards the betterment and upliftment of children from marginalised schools and communities.

Today, Candice talks to WMN about what it’s like to be “the boss”, the charity work she and her husband partake in, the struggles women and girls must still endure in today’s society, and the ways she believes we can move forward in positivity.

Q What does it mean to be your own boss and a woman?

Being my own boss is the absolute best feeling. It is as challenging as it is rewarding, and as a woman it is extremely empowering. I answer to myself therefore I am accountable only to myself so I make me the best version of me.

Q How would you describe your personal work towards the empowerment of women and girls?

I talk, and I talk a lot. I talk to everyone whether they’re listening or not. I am very vocal specifically about the empowerment of women and the protection of our children. I have three younger sisters so I also lead by example, and encourage them to do the same and speak out. I haven’t attached myself to an NGO but I do have the hope of doing something myself and starting a movement soon; an effective movement.

Q Do you believe the protection of women and girls is everyone’s responsibility?

I do believe that the protection of women and girls is everyone’s responsibility. However, I do think that women need to support and protect each other more than they do right now. We need to be each other’s keeper and we need to revert to the days of “taking a village to raise a child.” Likewise, there is strength in numbers so our support for each other will raise awareness and encourage our men to become accountable and responsible for the women around them.

Q You are involved in charity work through the event company, Green House Events. Can you tell us about some of this work?

Most of our charity work has been centred in our home area; Central Trinidad, and focused entirely on children. We have upgraded children’s homes under the Fairy House Project (when Fairy Cakes! met Green House, see what we did there?) by collecting and donating household items that are basic necessities for us but luxuries to them, e.g. shampoo, body lotion, blankets, pillows, hairbrushes, and cleaning supplies. We have also given one home a facelift already by painting the rooms and making it more whimsical and we are aiming to do more. There’s one home that we’re targeting this year to do some extensive work on.

We had also teamed up with One Love Trinidad last year and sponsored Christmas wishes for some of the children of a specific primary school, and this year we have bigger plans in mind in terms of providing aid, such as basic school supplies, to all the children of another primary school who are in need.

All our charity is done through our remarkable committee members who personally donate and give of their time.

Q In your opinion, what other work is necessary for the empowerment and betterment of our marginalised groups in TT, including women?

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I don’t think that our laws are geared towards the empowerment and protection of women at all. As such, the treatment of women by those in authority and even our protective services is enormously sub-par. Just imagine that now, in 2017, we have only just now made child marriage illegal. So we have now made children off-limits. Only. Just. Now. The work of NGOs and Women’s Groups is not to be discredited but change has to begin with the leaders and the law of the land first, so any form of protest needs to have an operative solution in mind. What is the change that we want? How do we get it?

Q What unique challenges do you believe women and girls face in 2017? What issues do you believe deserve more credence and attention from our governing bodies and citizenry alike?

I don’t think any of the challenges that we face today are “unique” because we have been facing these for years. However, the issue of safety is the most pertinent currently. Why is it that our women and children are missing? Since January 2 more than ten of our citizens have gone missing, almost all under 18 years old. Am I the only one who sees a pattern?

Look at the horrendous crimes being carried out against our girls, wasn’t one enough to create a call to action? Why are school girls being constantly sexually harassed by our men? It is traumatising enough for grown women, how do you think it is for them? No matter what we wear or where we go, the harassment is constant and women have become afraid. Plus, this victim-blaming – this constant victim-blaming – leaves women feeling so powerless, especially when it comes from other women. This is why we need to support each other and as a result stand up for each other and protect each other.

Q Can you tell us about your work with Yes She Can and why the initiative and movement are important to you?

I absolutely love Yes She Can because it gave me myself back! Yes She Can promotes the wellness of women though physical activity, healthy eating and self-care. Three things that I believe form the key to self-empowerment. Joining this movement has definitely led me to make a lifestyle change that did not even start with significant adjustments. It just made me put myself before anything else, and being an entrepreneur, business is supposed to come first so this was an important decision that had to be made. And I didn’t lose my sight on my success, nor did business falter. I just became a person again. In fact, I created a line of healthier cupcakes inspired by Yes She Can!

Also, I am extremely excited to be a part of the Yes She Can Women In Wellness Conference on March 25, at Acropolis Commercial Center, San Fernando because sharing this knowledge with other women will definitely help them move closer to their personal goals of happier living. I truly believe in sisterhood and I cannot stress enough on women supporting women, something that Yes She Can totally embraces.

Q What about the strengths women possess in face of endless hardship and prejudice? What do you have to say

about these?

A woman’s strength knows no bounds. It amazes me daily how women still exist after the hardships that they face. I have heard the most life changing stories and seen for myself some of the things that women go through and I am mind blown. Women are underestimated even though their ability to survive is blatant.

When we see these stories of prejudice every day and we see that the woman is still present and carrying on with her life… this is strength. We have heard the stories of women being assaulted and suffering great tragedies, but why haven’t we heard about their survival and how they overcame these things? These stories will be so inspirational. It is time to promote positivity amidst all the negativity.

Q And what about your own strengths, whether you started with them or have gained them along the way?

I have always been very strong-minded and independent and I have always been very kind. I have learnt through business relations to be firm and not get taken advantage of, but also to be lenient in the hopes that my compassion will rub off on others. My life experiences further taught me to be accountable for myself and for others. I have always had empathy which I think is my strongest quality.

So, although life pushes you down and kicks you, it is ok and it happens to everyone, so let us surpass this and move on. Let us use our struggle to fuel our success. I have fallen many times and I will fall again in the future. I look forward to it.

Eyeliner can make or break your look, and more often than not, it takes quite a bit of practice to master all the different styles of it. Today, I’ll be simplifying all there is to know about eyeliner; types, colours, tips for the best possible application and how to clean up, in case you make a mistake.

There are three main types of eyeliner that we will be focusing on: pencil, cream and liquid.

Pencil eyeliners such as LA Girl Glide Gel Eyeliner or Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayon are much better than drier, waxier formulas, since they offer intense colour payoff in one swipe, and don’t skip or tug at the delicate eye area during application.

Pencils are great for lining the waterline to create an inky smoulder.

Cream eyeliners (also called gel eyeliners) such as INGLOT’s AMC Eyeliner Gel are best for classic eyeliner, smokey lines and lining the waterline.

However, you will need to use an eyeliner brush with it. If you’re a beginner, I wouldn’t attempt winged eyeliner with these, because you’ll need to ensure the cream hasn’t begun to dry out, and your brush is thin enough to pull it off.

Liquid eyeliners such as Wet n’ Wild MegaLiner or pen styled eyeliners such as Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner will enable you to do classic eyeliner, winged eyeliner and more precise, graphic eyeliner.

So, you can see that the different types serve different purposes; you wouldn’t try to line your waterline with liquid eyeliner, because it will get washed away before it can even dry. So, pick your eyeliner type wisely.

When it comes to colours, you can achieve many different effects.

Rimming the eyes with black eyeliner will give you a striking, bold look; great for a smokey eye. Brown eyeliner is considerably softer and will be more appropriate for daytime makeup.

Applying white eyeliner on the waterline will make your eyes appear larger.

Nude or _ esh-toned eyeliner on the waterline will brighten your eyes and make you appear more awake.

Various coloured eyeliners can enhance your eye colour.

By using basic colour theory, you can make your eye colour pop. For example, blue eyes will pop with bronze, copper and warm brown eyeliners. Green eyes will stand out with reddish brown, plum and terra-cotta hues. Brown eyes will sparkle with teal, navy blue or eggplant shades.

Tips: For the best possible application of eyeliner, there are a few tips that most people won’t even think of. But really, you don’t need to make eyeliner any harder than it already is.

Sometimes, your eyelash curler can remove or smudge your eyeliner, ruining your look. To avoid this, curl your eyelashes before you apply eyeliner.

Never tug on your eye, or stretch your skin taut to apply your eyeliner. Usually, when you let go, the shape can look very different than what you intended.

Anchor your pinkie _ nger on your cheek to steady your hands while applying eyeliner.

Opt for waterproof formulas as opposed to creamy, kajal eyeliners, as these are more prone to transferring and smudging. If your eyeliner still smudges, setting it with the corresponding eyeshadow colour could help to prolong it’s wear.

If you struggle with winged eyeliner, try mapping out the shape you want with eyeshadow and an angled brush, before committing with a waterproof eyeliner.

You can easily adjust the shape of the eyeshadow with a cotton bud to erase any mistakes. Once you’re happy with the shape, simply trace over the eyeshadow with your liquid eyeliner for the most even wings, every time.

Lastly, if you’ve still managed to make a mistake using waterproof eyeliner, you have a few options.

You can remove it with a cotton bud dipped in makeup remover. If you got it somewhere that you think will be ruined by the makeup remover, you can use a full coverage concealer, preferably in a liquid form, as these are easier to spread and blend. If you need to reshape your eyeliner, use a small angled brush and carve the line into whatever shape you desire with the concealer. You can then patch up your eyeshadow and be as good as new. Likewise, if the eyeliner got onto the face, just lightly pat the concealer over your mistake, and set it with a powder.

I consider myself to be surrounded by women of substance, hardworking, honest, fiercely loyal and no nonsense. I don’t know when this became a bad thing.

Aren’t we as women not supposed to lay down and let others wipe their feet all over us? So why is a woman who stands up for her rights and demands fair and equal treatment difficult? After the last American election, it became clear that the world is rearing women to be strong and outspoken and tells them they are equal with men but the women that dare to take that message literally are swiftly taught a lesson. It seems that no matter how qualified and competent a woman is, she will always lose to any loudmouthed nit, just as long as it’s a man.

There was a study done a few years ago that tested people’s perception of others. They gave a quote based on a workplace scenario and attributed it to one of two pictures, either a man or a woman in business attire. The man was seen as efficient, and praised for having good management skills, while the woman was perceived as bossy, pushy and rude. Same script, but the only difference was the gender of the person the words were ascribed to. What that shows is that we have some deeply ingrained gender constructs, because both men and women shared the same prejudice.

The traits that the participants found so offensive, are the same traits that keep women from promotions at the office, keep them earning 54 cents for every dollar a man earns (Yes, it’s true, figures show wage disparity is that bad in our country). While more feminine behaviours keep salaries in female dominated professions artificially low, cause employers to think it’s ok to deny maternity leave or fire a woman while she is on maternity leave, and keep female unemployment at twice the rate of male.

It is really disheartening to think of just how little progress has been made in gender equality. I think the suffragettes would be extremely disappointed to see that while women can vote, get an education and earn a living, very little else has changed. When I think of the radical nature of women like Emmeline Pankhurst, and our own local Beatrice Grieg, I feel the complacency of current generations has betrayed their legacy to a degree.

The recent unpleasantness of the spate of brutal murders of bright, young women got all of Trinidad talking. I have to confess I was horrified by the comments I heard fall out of the mouths of some of the men I interact with. The concept of gender equality has passed them by like a full bus and they are still driving an ox cart. Suffice it to say, I gave a few of them quite the upgrade to their ideas of gender. That’s not just in Trinidad and Tobago though, it’s difficult to be a woman in most of the world. The World Economic Forum issues The Global Gender Gap Report which is an index that ranks countries by certain indicators such as women’s access to education and healthcare, representation in government, ability to be financially independent etc. On the list, Trinidad and Tobago dropped from 36th in 2013 to 44th by 2016, ie things aren’t simply not good, they’re getting worse.

We teach our young women that they can do anything a guy can do, and educate them well but when they come out to look for a job or try to find a partner, they find out the reality is very different. It’s like the society has pulled a collective prank on us all. Sure, we can be anything you want, as long as it fits in the traditional gender constructs set out for women. As if.

I know a lot of high achieving women, who go out and do well in the working world, who reach high positions in their organisations. I am aware that I am surrounded by extraordinary women, who have or make conditions that allow them to excel. At minimum, a Master’s degree is the norm in my circle, but that’s because I come from a background of educators. There are others who come from a background of small business owners and entrepreneurship and they excel in that. I know a few women who work in male dominated trades as well, three of the five best welders I know, are women.

Women are capable of anything if they have equal access to opportunities.

There is much more to women than men can imagine. We can multi-task because we are so used to being everything all the time. Yes, I have two brain cells to rub together as well as the papers to prove it.

The fact that I am a devoted mother and a domestic goddess are just the icing on the cake. I am not trying to live up to some domestic gender stereotype, I just love clean surroundings and good food but it’s not the same for everyone. Some women have no talent in domestic matters and that’s ok too. You don’t have to be everything to everybody.

What can we do as individuals to change the current state of gender relations? A lot, believe it or not.

Don’t settle for abuse in the workplace and unequal salaries. Start your own business, entrepreneurship really gives women a chance to ful_ l their potential, use whatever skill or talent you have and _ nd a way to make it earn you an income.

Learn about money, how to manage it and how to invest it so it will make more. Financial independence is the quickest way to protect yourself from abusive relationship. If a woman can stand on her own, she won’t stand for nonsense. If the roof over your head and the pillow you sleep on are your own, you’re automatically less vulnerable.

Stop waiting for Prince Charming. Life is not a fairytale and there is nobody coming to rescue you. Get on with your life and save yourself. Become an accomplished and self-sufficient woman. Want a diamond ring? Buy your own. When your prince eventually comes, you can be an equal partner.

Know that you are perfectly _ ne to live your life the way you want to. Want to be a mother, wife and homemaker? That’s great. Want to grow up to be a single, childless, cougar? That’s good too. Like climbing trees and dressing like a boy? That’s good as well.

Are you the ultimate girly-girl obsessed with makeup and all things frilly? You go girl. My point is there is no single way to be female and no one way to express womanhood, as long as you’ve got the chromosomes, whichever way you choose, is just as legitimate as another. I am just as female with my oversized, aggressive, opinionated self as another woman who is delicate, submissive and demure.

Mothers and fathers treat your children equally. Stop reinforcing gender stereotypes, there should not be, boys do this and girls do that. A boy is not going to become less masculine if he can wash dishes, cook his own food or is capable with a vacuum. Learning household chores is vital if you want your children to grow to be competent adults, don’t deprive your sons of that opportunity. Ingrain in them the knowledge they will need to be equal partners in their adult relationships and teach them the skills they need to do it.

The best thing you can do to improve gender relations is to be a difficult, #nastywoman in your everyday life. Know your rights and demand them because discrimination of any kind thrives on ignorance. Use your voice and speak up, if you think you don’t have a voice, _ nd it and fast.

Surround yourself with difficult women, or _ nd the most obstinate, difficult woman in your circle and latch onto her, some of her willfulness might just rub off on you. You’d be surprised how liberating it can be to cast off gender stereotypes and just be yourself.

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Fluctuations occur during this time, including levels of oestrogen, progesterone and insulin sensitivity.

How does your menstrual cycle impact your workout? Your period might increase your chance of injury.

Women are two to ten times more likely to get anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries than men, and studies have found clusters of these knee injuries at the start and just before menstruation. Why? When Australian researchers looked at the muscle mechanics of women running on a treadmill, they found differences in the way their knees moved during menstruation compared to ovulation.

The researchers cha lked this up to poorer motor control during menstruation, anything from letting your knee collapse inward when you land to letting your quads do all the work instead of involving the hamstrings and butt.

The way to treat this is to do additional neuromuscular (brain to muscle connection) training, to reduce the load on your knees and ankles and building up strength and co-ordination in both sides of the body.

Add single-leg balance work, plyometric jump work (focusing on form rather than quantity), and hamstring and gluteal strengthening to your workouts twice a week for 15 to 20 minutes.

Your workout can reduce Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms According to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, regular aerobic exercise helps to relieve PMS. You probably don’t need a scientist to convince you of that based on your own experience.

Set foot in the gym when you’re ‘PMSing’ and you’ll boost your mood, ward off fatigue and facilitate better sleeping patterns.

The follicular phase This phase comes _ rst, lasting roughly from days one to 14 of your cycle and ends at ovulation. At this point, oestrogen increases, while progesterone and body temperature stays the same. This _ rst phase is a time where the female body is primed to hit intense workouts that are of an anaerobic nature.

Increased insulin sensitivity, along with an increase in pain tolerance, can explain this capability. During training in the follicular phase, coupling intense workouts with refeed meals should be utilised, preferably including carbohydrate sources such as sweet potatoes, yams, rice, or starchy vegetables such as carrots.

Ovulation Ovulation occurs around day 14 of the cycle.

Oestrogen has peaked and begins a decline, while progesterone surges. It is normal during ovulation, and for the remainder of the cycle, for a woman to feel warmer for the remainder of the cycle. During ovulation, oestrogen and overall strength is peaked, so heavier weight training can be appropriate during this phase.

Due to joint laxity and oestrogen-induced changes in collagen structure, ACL tears are four to eight times more likely to happen during this phase as mentioned before. Consider supplementing with a tablespoon of collagen in your morning smoothie, place more emphasis on your warm-up, include recovery sessions, and be aware of fatigue and proper form.

The luteal phase This phase begins on ovulation day, most times on day 14. During this phase, your body is not primed to workout at very high intensities, the body will prefer fat as its primary fuel source instead of glycogen, and you might retain more water at this time due to PMS symptoms. This might cause discomfort during short burst exercise plan for lack of motivation here, and stick to aerobic activities as your primary exercise.

Fat burning workouts should be emphasised during the luteal phase. If you are doing a workout that is strength or glycolytic, note that the luteal phase is not ideal for these domains and you may not perform to your usual capabilities. This is the time of the phase to plan things like aerobic trail runs, _ at bike rides, easy swims and other aerobic activities that are at a slightly conversational pace like walking around a savannah on a Sunday afternoon.