When Gayle Brewer was stationed in Iraq, makeup was hard to come by. In that war-torn country’s arid climate, keeping safe and hydrated were priorities. Looking good was not, the 27-year old said. “When you are deployed, the army won’t let you take anything but a few photos with you. Makeup was simply not an option.� But Brewer and her comrades were not deterred. “We had to do something because we weren’t looking like females anymore. We decided to use what we had around us to create our own makeup. There was plenty of dirt so we used it to make face masks. To make eye shadow, we would grind down the dark colored stones, and we used the sand as powder.� Born in Tijuana, Mexico and raised in Arcadia, California, Brewer has a sister who is 29, Valeria, a brother who is 28, David, and a younger brother Steven, who is 19. Brewer’s decision to enter the military was prompted by a cousin who had recently finished her army stint, and Brewer’s desire to travel. “I did not tell anyone that I had enlisted until a week before I was scheduled to leave for boot camp. I knew that if I mentioned my plans to anyone, they would talk me out of it and I was determined to go.� Her announcement to join the military both surprised and disappointed her family. My parents expected me, and my brothers and sisters, to go to college and pursue careers but I had different ideas, she explained. The army was a huge culture shock for Brewer. I had recently graduated from an all-girls Catholic high-school and then, all of a sudden, I was in an environment full of men. The ratio was about three to one. Further, instead of expecting less from us because we were females, we were held to the same standard as the men. We were expected to do everything, from running and climbing to shooting and lifting equally as well as men. Weighing in at 90 pounds, Brewer had to gain a lot of weight in order to get through boot camp. Indeed, 30 pounds and a few months later, her mother didn’t recognize Brewer when she went to pick her up at the airport. “My mother kept passing me by as she was circling the airport. When I eventually phoned her to tell her where I was standing, my mother’s response was “all I see there is a chubby girl.� The army drilled in the importance of loyalty and teamwork to reach a common goal. “I learned not to judge others, and that trust and comrade are the keys to survival.� Learning to trust, and not to judge others are lessons that stayed with Brewer. Today, she does not immediately categorize people. “I am much more accepting and appreciative of their differences.� This quality, she believes, has helped her succeed in her career as a makeup artist. “I observe the physical differences in each woman and don’t try to force a cookie cutter standard to my makeup application.� For Brewer, the most rewarding part of the military was the opportunity to meet and learn about people from all over the world. The military consists of people of all ages, from different backgrounds, cultures and beliefs, she explained. “I treasure and still maintain the friendships I developed in the army.� Brewer ended her eight-year Army stint in December and is now focused on Celia Caserta Inc., a Los Angeles-based company that specializes in professional makeup services for Hispanics.