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Fashion

Nathalie Emmanuel: Makeup for Character & Beauty Empowerment

2024-12-06

Nathalie Emmanuel, the renowned Game of Thrones actress, has found a new love in Armani Beauty. Her connection with the brand goes beyond just makeup and extends to their elegant clothing. As the newly appointed Armani Beauty Global Brand Ambassador, she embodies the brand's philosophy of beauty.

Embrace Your Individual Beauty with Armani

Armani Beauty: From Fashion to Makeup

Nathalie Emmanuel first fell in love with Armani through their clothes. "I really became connected to the brand in more recent years through fashion," she says. "I think maybe as a teen I'd been gifted a perfume. But my appreciation has been in much more recent years, because I've been lucky enough to wear their beautiful clothing."She is no stranger to the red carpet and has been entranced by Giorgio Armani. "It's very elegant," she says. "It's got a classic nature to it, but then also has a femininity. I'm someone who's always liked to play in terms of fashion. I play with the femininity; I play with masculinity."

Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation: A Natural Fit

As the face of the upcoming Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation campaign, Emmanuel uses the cult-favorite to ace her base. The medium coverage formula gives a glowy finish for up to 24 hours while hydrating skin and blurring texture. Its Micro–fil technology enables color pigments to lay flat so that it never cakes and blends like a dream."I really care about skin," Emmanuel says. "In terms of makeup and beauty, I'm not about covering my natural face. I like to even out skin tone if I'm looking a bit tired, lightening up under the eyes, maybe a little color. I want to enhance what's already there."

Makeup as Self-Expression and Character Building

Makeup is more than just self-expression or glamming up for the red carpet for Emmanuel. She also uses it to get into character for a role. "Makeup says a lot about a character," she says. "How much do they care about their appearance, what is their job, what is their day-to-day life—all of these things will impact their makeup choices."When filming, the process from Nathalie to the character is very important. "I read the script as much as I can," she says. "I then like to write a backstory, about who is this person before we met them? Where have they come from, why are they who are they are? I like to build little anchors, and so in the moment, I can draw upon those things."

Selecting Roles: Embracing Multifaceted Characters

Emmanuel has portrayed an impressively diverse range of characters throughout her career. She chooses her parts carefully. "It's a multitude of things," she says. "I read the script and decide do I like the story, do I like the characters, is it something that I feel I'm going to be challenged by? Sometimes it's something as simple as an instinct.""We're seeing more and more of these kind of brilliant parts for women," she adds. "I'm always looking for multifaceted characters that lean away from stereotypes and archetypes."For now, she is focused on her new role as Armani Beauty Global Brand Ambassador and the message she wants to convey. "I see it as embracing your individual beauty," Emmanuel says. "We're in an age where we compare ourselves to everything because of social media. I think we have to be empowered to express our own version of what we think is beautiful for us as individuals."

The profits of UnitedHealth Group's health insurance business, UnitedHealthcare, witnessed a remarkable surge during the pandemic. However, as the Covid-19 pandemic subsided and medical costs began to rise due to increased care seeking by Americans, this growth has tempered. In the wake of the tragic shooting death of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive, Brian Thompson, a spotlight was shone on health insurer denials of medical care. Critics claim that health insurers' slow-walking of medical treatment approvals and outright denials of procedures and other care have led to greater profits. But it was not long after the coronavirus hit the U.S. in 2020 that health insurance company profits began to soar. With lockdowns, office closures, and limited doctor appointment windows, people were not seeking care, resulting in more money for the insurance companies.

Trends during the Pandemic and Beyond

The U.S. public health emergency played a significant role in keeping record numbers of people covered by Medicaid and offering enhanced subsidies for more Americans to afford individual Obamacare coverage. These trends helped most health insurers achieve record profits. UnitedHealth Group, for instance, reported net income of $22.3 billion last year, with $20.6 billion in 2022, $17.3 billion in 2021, and $15.4 billion in 2020. Before the pandemic, in 2019, it made $13.8 billion.Despite the rising profits, financial reports show that the company is spending more on medical care. In 2020, the full year medical care ratio of 79.1% declined from 82.5% in 2019 due to disrupted care patterns. As the pandemic wore on and more people returned to seeking medical care, this percentage gradually rose. In 2021, it was 82.6%, in 2022 it was 82.0%, and in 2023 it rose to 83.2%. In the fourth quarter of last year, it reached as high as 85%. In 2024, the third quarter medical care ratio was 85.2% compared to 82.3% last year.The higher medical expenses have also affected UnitedHealth's rivals, such as Humana and CVS Health's Aetna. These companies have seen historic spikes in costs, particularly in their Medicare Advantage plans, as seniors are seeking more medical care than in the past. "The sector is navigating significant regulatory changes while also absorbing unprecedented increases in medical cost trends," Humana said in January.UnitedHealth's annual medical costs were $210.8 billion in 2022 and rose to $241.9 billion in 2023 when President Biden ended the U.S. Public Health Emergency in May. In the first nine months of this year, UnitedHealth medical costs were $197 billion and are on track to be even higher than last year.These changes in medical costs and profits highlight the complex dynamics at play in the health insurance industry. As the post-pandemic era unfolds, it will be interesting to see how these trends continue to shape the industry and the financial performance of health insurance companies.

Governor Gavin Newsom has made a significant announcement regarding the establishment of a new port of entry at the California-Mexico border. This move is set to bring about numerous benefits and changes to the region.

Transforming Border Trade with a New Port of Entry

Construction Timeline and Impact

Construction is scheduled to commence in January 2025, with the goal of completing the new port by December 2027. This new crossing is expected to have a profound impact on international trade. As Newsom stated, it will support the growth of trade between California and Mexico, reducing wait times for businesses and workers. The existing ports, such as the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports, are already stressed to the limit, with people waiting for hours on foot or by vehicle. The new port is seen as a solution to these issues, enabling a more efficient flow of goods and people.According to SANDAG, trade between the U.S. and Mexico through our land ports of entry was valued at more than $88 billion last year. This highlights the importance of this border region for economic activities. The new Otay Mesa East Port of Entry is expected to boost California's economy by facilitating the sale of American goods to Mexico more efficiently. It will create jobs and lower costs for California consumers, while also enhancing public safety through the governor's new CalGuard initiative.

Benefits for the Region

Joaquín Luken, who grew up crossing the border between San Diego and Tijuana, understands the significance of this new development. He works for the Smart Border Coalition and has seen firsthand the challenges at the existing ports. The San Ysidro Port of Entry is one of the busiest land crossings in the world, and the Otay Mesa Port is the busiest commercial vehicle crossing in California. The new crossing will provide much-needed relief and open up new opportunities for the region.Manuel Pastor, a professor at the University of Southern California, emphasizes the various ways in which expanding crossing capabilities will benefit the area. He points out that it could lead to a boost in Mexican manufacturing and the export of goods to the United States, including essential auto parts. This will strengthen economic ties between the two countries and contribute to the growth of the region.

Excitement and Anticipation

Luken is excited about the potential of this new crossing for the growth of the region. Having grown up in Tijuana and crossing the border all his life, he sees this as a significant milestone. It will be the first new port of entry in his lifetime, and he believes it will have a positive impact on the community.Governor Newsom's commitment to completing the new crossing by December 2027 shows the importance he places on this project. It is a decades-long effort that aims to address the needs of the border region and promote economic development. With the new port of entry, California is poised to take a significant step forward in its relationship with Mexico.