BITE Insight

Ready for Anything, from No7 and Mother, is a beauty advert that doesn’t show the made-up face of the star but rather encapsulates the feeling that makeup can help to fuel.

The ad stars the Olympic fencer Monica Aksamit but, we as the viewer only see Aksamit as the victor; we are never shown her entire face. The makeup is worn for her and her alone.

During the film, swatches of make-up that Aksamit applies before the duel, mirror the jabs taken by the fencers, with the mesmerising backdrop adding to the drama that is unfolding. In the voiceover, we hear Aksamit talk about the personal confidence that make-up can give her in her sport, not in an aesthetic way but for her own prowess and performance.

Ready for Anything is the next instalment in the No 7 READY series, that sees the cosmetics brand championing strong women, from the renowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche to an inspirational 50-year-old Hollywood stuntwoman. The series encompasses the idea that women can take control of their own beauty and, when they feel in control, they are ready for anything.