When I think about all the women that have inspired me, I can’t help but to associate that inspiration to their auras, which could be summed up to be a combination of their personality and their looks.  I have to admit that these days it’s becoming harder to find inspirational women in mainstream media. Image: Charlotte Rampling by François Nars.

Some were actresses, others were models, some were artists or authors, but all of these women were and (still are) adored because they are inspirational. There are too many of them to start throwing names, and it would really spoil the fun. Why should I limit myself to just a few?

While watching biographies of women like Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth, I find myself admiring their powers of self-invention. Even though these two women have channeled fascinating characters, and both have ended up feeling quite trapped by the what they embodied, today’s women completely own it.

The elegance and chic of Catherine Deneuve, comes to mind. She created the quintessential French woman, or her equally famous compatriot, Brigitte Bardot. Both of these women took their looks and personality to the level of an art form. Working on their auras in a very organic way, adapting it to the times as they were changing.

If you look at their different incarnations, you can see how amazing they were at being fully themselves and how daring they could be. Some people would say they “had style” but ultimately, it was more than the clothes, or the makeup and hair. Today’s women are still channeling these two French cinema Goddesses and creating new incarnations of that energy. Just look to Kate Moss who took some of that Bardot energy and made it her own.

When François Nars came out with the new Audacious Lipstick range and photographed quintessential actress, Charlotte Rampling, for the campaign, it put a smile on my face. All these lip colours are just begging you to channel the woman that inspired them. Charlotte Rampling is from the golden age of movie making, and she is still beautiful–wrinkles and all.

When you really think about it, most brands channel some kind of a larger-than-life woman–let’s call her a Goddess. Dolce&Gabanna, have been mining the Italian Goddess. Looking to Italian actresses like Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren, Monica Vitti and Monica Bellucci and reinventing her every season. Or take Karl Lagerfeld, who has been channeling the spirit of Coco, a rebelliously chic, and stylish woman.

Recently my inspirational Goddess has been Rihanna. Sounds totally out there, but she appeared in a dream where she was my boss. After I told my friend Duygu about it, we both knew what it meant: to get inspired by her energy.

We all look to to other women for guidance. When we need to be inspired in our life, to get a push. And sometimes the Goddess we would like to channel looks nothing like our physical self.  I’m going for Rihanna’s boldness, and willingness to take risks, though my butt won’t be peaking out of a sheer dress anytime soon!

What energy do you need in your life? Get inspired to be your own Goddess and who knows… you might inspire someone else to shine bright.

All the colours are beautiful, but my favourite ones are (from left), Rita, Audrey, Jane and Deborah, 40$ at NARS counters.