By Mary N. DiZazzo

"My whole career has been devoted to keeping people from knowing me."

--Lon Chaney "The Man of a Thousand Faces" (1883-1930)

Ciao bella,

What can make-up do for you? As they say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Do we want to look different? Or do we desire to look beautiful, attractive to other people?

As I sit in front of my antique mirrored vanity, I let the fun begin. My face, as yours, is a canvas. (Hey, Pam, whose line is that anyway?)

Only a flat canvas can be a taskful feat for an artist. In your face lie crevices and corners that can and should be highlighted, concealed, powdered, and puffed to bring out the natural beauty we all possess.

I look at my palette of colors on my vanity and often decide what colors my face needs today, and then choose the outfit of the moment.

Make-up can change your mood. It can bring on attention or it can turn people's heads away.

To start you off on the right track, there is a fabulous book put out by the late Kevyn Aucoin, called Face Forward.

Mr. Aucoin was a divine Hollywood make-up artist. In his book he takes and makes-up already well-known movie stars of today and has them look like stars and famous people of yesteryear.

He shows you, step-by-step, his application of disguises, --and also certain colors and materials you'll need to create yourself over. Or just enhance your beauty au naturel.

It's a wonderful experience to be able to be creative with subtle or bold looks.

So, glamazons, find that chair and vanity with some drawers and space to set up your workplace, and let the games begin!

Buona giornata.

--Mary

Have you missed any of Mary's columns in the Post-Gazette? Read prior weeks' "All That Zazz" columns on her website www.mary4nails.com. She is a third-generation cosmetologist and owner of Mary for Nails, etc. natural nailcare salon in Andover, and a Massachusetts distributor of Kosmea brand rose hip oil products. She may be contacted at (978) 470-8183. She also sees select clients by appointment in Boston at (617) 742-6881.