My name is Elizabeth Lee and I own a cosmetics kiosk in a mall.
I am from the Deep South, the last of 13 children. A very humble home but filled with a lot of love. We were content with what we had.
Each house in our street had an animal. I grew up on cow’s milk because we had a cow. I never get colds, or maybe for one day or two at most. Chalk that up to cows’ milk.
I’ve always been a Full Gospel Pentecostal. My faith has always kept me.
Both my parents are deceased now, but we were brought up with real strong values. You always put others ahead of yourself and tried to help others. That is what has shaped my life into what it is today, I think.
We would pick coffee beans right off our own tree in our yard. I still love coffee. Anytime I go away, the first thing I look for is a café where I can sit and enjoy a good cup.
I love dark chocolate, any dark chocolate. I probably have more than I should.
You’ll know how you’ll be treated by a guy by looking at how he treats his mother. I learned how men should treat women from watching how my brothers treated my mother. They had the greatest respect for her. I’m well-treated by my husband; I have a wonderful one.
I’ve been married for 12 years to David. No kids yet. I’ve left that door open. God’s in control of that.
Sometimes I run away during the course of the day and see a movie. That’s the luxury or working in a mall with cinemas. I love dramas and true stories that touch home.
I worked for people before I had my own business and I’m able to see both sides of the coin. I would never ask my staff to do something I would not be prepared to do.
I learned the cosmetics trade by starting at the very bottom of a cosmetics company. In one year, I was at the very top. What promoted me was loyalty and hard work.
I don’t take part in Carnival. Coming out of my belief, it’s not something I wanted. When I got married, because my husband is a party person, I would have attended fetes with him. The last fete I went to was a WASA fete and I was in shock. Some of the people looked like they were sleeping in their bedrooms, the outfits they were wearing. And I said to myself, “What am I doing here?” So I put Carnival behind me. My husband goes to fetes by himself sometimes. He’s cut down, maybe because I’m not going with him.
I love food and I eat everything. But I strive for portion control.
I love Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban. Softer, more melodious music. And, of course, I listen to a lot of Gospel music.
I used to drink a glass of wine with a meal or have a social drink but I’ve cut that out. It was effortless and I never missed it. When I want to treat myself well, I go to the spa for a couple hours. A body massage, a manicure and a pedicure and I’m rejuvenated.
I’ve been into cosmetics for over 20 years. I started pretty young. I would do makeup demonstrations on 50, 60 faces a day! I’d be so stiff when I stood back from that makeup tray. I operate more as a manager now, do more skin analysis, patch tests, and evaluations and then I instruct my staff. The actual application of the makeup, I don’t do much any more. I miss it.
The best thing about cosmetics is I’m able to make women across the board feel beautiful. Maybe 70 per cent of the women who come to the counter are not assertive and they look at makeup as a way of feeling good. It’s a thrill to know I’m part of that. I wouldn’t say there’s a bad part.
A Trini is able to take the most serious of situations and make light out of it.
I will travel the world but I love Trinidad & Tobago dearly. We are very warm people. We really don’t see “race” until it’s pointed out to us.
Read a longer version of this feature at www.BCRaw.com