Critical Beauty

And why we still love Sushmita after all these years! Sushmita Sen / Photo credit: Wizard.com Sushmita's esSENce:    Sushmita Sen , the first Miss Universe from India and director of I AM SHE Pageant that selects India's representative to Miss Universe and minor global pageants,  announced on January 7th that she had terminated her ownership of the Miss Universe franchise after three years. Under her helm, India won the maligned Miss Asia Pacific World pageant in 2012 (though her candidate in 2011 was promoted to the title for reasons unknown), and her candidate to Miss Universe 2012 Shilpa Singh made the top 16. Eventually,   the Times of India Group  retook the franchise and produced its first ever "Miss Diva" contest, whose main winner, Manasi Moghe , was awarded the "Miss Universe India" title. Moghe would later make the top 16 of Miss Universe 2013 pageant in Moscow. Sushmita may have surrendered the franchise, but she has never given up in

Photo credit: The Sun Daily Angeli Dion Gomez , 20, from Cebu, Philippines was crowned Miss Tourism International 2013/2014 during the 17th edition of the pageant in Putrajaya, Malaysia on New Year's Eve. This is the first time that the Philippines won back-to-back; Gomez's predecessor, Rizzini Gomez (no relation), is also from the Philippines.  The 20-year-old, who wanted to be a film director, was ecstatic to bring back the crown to Philippines after the country won it last year. "The first thing I plan to do is to meet my family whom I have not met for about one month and have a nice breakfast with them tomorrow," she told reporters.  As the title holder, Gomez will be tasked as travelling ambassador in promoting informal international relations between countries to spread the message of peace, goodwill and friendship. Photo credit: Miss Tourism International Angeli's court includes the following finalists who were also awarded a subsidiary

Rejane Goulart ( née   Rejane Vieira Costa), Miss Brazil 1972 and first runner-up in Miss Universe 1972, passed away on Christmas Eve (December 24, 2013). Rejane was preparing Christmas dinner at home in Rio de Janeiro when she felt a sharp pain in her head, fell and lost consciousness. Her son Rodrigo Goulart tried to apply mouth-to-mouth resuscitation but her pulse stopped. She was rushed to the hospital where she was briefly resuscitated, but eventually was declared brain dead by the doctors. The former beauty queen and actress had been recovering from a leg surgery.  Rejane is the third ex-Miss Brazil who died this year. Katia Celestino (1976) died of cancer on April 29th at the age of 56. Adalgisa Colombo (1958), who placed second in Miss Universe 1958, died on January 17 at the age of 73 of unknown causes. Rejane with Miss Universe 1972 Kerry Ann Wells of Australia Photo credit: http://fernandomachado.blog.br Rejane competing in the swimsuit segment of M

Bea Rose Santiago of the Philippines walks on stage after being crowned Miss International 2013 in Tokyo on Tuesday. Representatives from 67 countries and regions from all over the world took part in the pageant.  Photo by Yuya Shino, Reuters      The Philippines' Bea Rose Santiago was crowned Miss International 2013 on Tuesday, adding to the string of victories of fellow beauty queens in the country.  The four-hour finals night of the 53rd Miss International pageant was held at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Hall in Tokyo, Japan, gathering over 60 candidates from around the world.  Placing second to Santiago is Netherland's Nathalie den Dekker , followed by New Zealand's Casey Radley . Completing the Top 5 were Colombia's Cindy Aguilar and Hungary's Brigitta Otvos .      For the final round, the remaining five contestants each gave a 30-second speech on the subject, "What I will do if I am crowned Miss International."  Nathalie den Dekker , Be

Ekaterina Plekhova  (center) 23, of St. Petersburg, Russia was crowned Miss Intercontinental 2013 in  Maritim Hall, Maritim Hotel Magdeburg,  Magdeburg ,  Germany on December 14. Her court includes 1st runner-up  Aleyda Ortiz of Puerto Rico (left) and 2nd runner-up  Margarita Peralta of Colombia (right). The 3rd runner-up is Koreen Medina of the Philippines and the 4th runner-up is  Kayla Nel of South Africa. Plekhova was crowned by last year's winner from Venezuela, Daniela Chalbaud. Completing the top fifteen were the delegates from Argentina, Costa Rica, Curacao, England, Germany, Hungary, New Zealand, Panama, Poland, and Thailand. The Continental Queens were Miss Russia (Miss Intercontinental Europe), Miss Philippines (Miss Intercontinental Asia & Oceania), Miss Colombia (Miss Intercontinental South America), Miss Puerto Rico (Miss Intercontinental North America), and Miss South Africa (Miss Intercontinental Africa). Plekhova's victory marks Russia