Fair?
Fair.
A few days ago I got paid to model for a beauty school. They needed a living, breathing, real-life lady on whom to practice makeup, and I happened to fit the bill. Yay me!
Now then.
It was six and a half hours of sitting in a chair getting my face pulled, rubbed and painted. That part wasn't bad - when I've agreed to it beforehand, I like having my face touched - and there was music, but what I hadn't factored in was the fact that when people are learning their instructors tell them things. Again, no problem. But it started to be a bit uncomfortable when those instructions weren't based on things like which brush to use, but were instead based on what to do based on the model's features. Or, you know, my features.
At one point the instructor said, "Now, her eyes are actually quite close together, so you can use the brush to highlight the sides of her nose, too."
Hm. Well. That's not fun.
Spending six hours in front of a mirror is bound to have a questionable effect on anyone's self-esteem, but factor in a few comments like that and you begin to look seriously at yourself, going, "Are they too close together? Is my skin too uneven?" I feel pretty comfortable about my face, as a general rule - we've had 22 years together and I'm just used to it at this point - but I'd be lying if I said I felt completely confident in myself.
As a girl whose idea of makeup is a bit of chapstick and a quick swish of mascara (eyeliner only if we're feeling fancy) I felt oddly exposed going out in makeup during the lunch break. You'd think a layer of makeup would make you feel more covered, but instead I felt flashy, uncomfortable, like everyone was staring at me. Going home at the end of the day was even worse, as at that point I had not only a smoky eye but also a bright red lip. It did match my hat, so there's that.
I worried about my looks on the way home - not in a, "Oh, dear, my eyes might be too close together!" kind of way, but in a, "Hm. I wonder what my boyfriend will think of this." My dad really dislikes makeup, so as I was growing up any step in that direction was met with a frown. I know guys have different opinions on makeup - my Dad hates it, my friend Lewis loves it, and my friend Andrew is pretty oblivious to it - but I didn't know how my guy in particular felt. Would I be met with a grimace?
(I wasn't, of course. I was met with surprise and a touch of confusion that relaxed after I took off the lipstick.)
Makeup is really odd. I always used to think that girls who wore a lot of makeup were insecure, but after spending a day around girls who are really, really in to makeup, I began to think that these girls think of it as an accessory. It's fun for them and can almost be seen as a fashion statement. When I wear a lot of makeup, I feel obviously not myself - it's not fun, it's scary.
How do you feel about makeup? Yea or nay?
Tracks
The Asteroids - Heart Attack
Young the Giant - Cough Syrup
3Oh!3 - Starstrukk
The Shins - New Slang
Funny thing is that I was at a formal dance on saturday. I usually don't wear make-up at all (and I'm 18 so it's kind of strange). I was really excited to dress up and all so I went to a friend of mine who is really talented in make-up, and she decided to give me bright red lips. I always admired people wearing red lipstick but never got around it, so I agreed. The dance was full and all, but I was more than releaved to get home after that and was the locks out of my hair and get the make-up off, I really felt like myself again.
ReplyDeleteI'm very much not into makeup. I never wear it. And my husband HATES it, so I think the last time I really wore a lot of makeup was for our wedding...almost 5 years ago.
ReplyDeletenay :)
ReplyDeleteMakeup, for me, is just fun. I could certainly go without it, but I don't really want to. There certainly was a time in my life when I thought I couldn't go out without at least a little foundation on, but now makeup is just a recreational hobby that I get to do every day. I think everybody should do whatever they like with their makeup (wear it, don't wear it, wear a lot of it, wear a little, etc).
ReplyDeleteI haven't been able to leave the house without make-up for about one and a half years, and i'm 14. I wear it to school, out with my friends and even if i'm not leaving the house. I don't mean i pile it on and look stupid, just foundation, concealer ,mascara and eyeliner every morning, it's a routine. I don't really understand why apart from i hate my face without it. I think i just like having the controll over my looks. I couldn't live without my make-up, nearly none of my friends have seen me without it ,don't get me wrong, i don't do it at all to attract boys, it's for me. And yes, i'm only 14.
ReplyDeleteI kind of know the feeling. I wear a fair bit of makeup, generally, but I don't wear skirts or girly clothes- if I go out in a skirt or dress, I feel exposed and weird and uncomfortable. I'm fine whether I'm wearing makeup or not, or however my hair is, but not skirts, never skirts.
ReplyDeleteI am kind of indifferent to make-up. I only wear it on special occasions or if I really want to impress someone, which I guess says something about how I perceive other people's opinions on make-up. I am basically to lazy to go into the effort every day of putting it on. I guess I sometimes feel like if I wear make-up, I am not showing the real me and if I want people to like me, I shouldn't put up any sort of pretense because they will have to see the real me eventually.
ReplyDeleteI don't wear a lot of makeup in the summer, because it gets pretty hot and basically melts off, but i like wearing it otherwise. I like to use it to play up my features - like bright gold eyeshadow to make my blue eyes even brighter when i go dancing - or just to add a pop of colour to my fair skin - like a bright pinky red lipstick i just bought. I don't really use it to counter my flaws (except when i break out majorly and want to tone down the redness), i use it to make what i have pop.
ReplyDeleteI can easily wear no make up for days. More because of my laziness than being 'against' it. I like to wear more make up when I'm going to a party, but it's never more than eyeliner, eye shadow and mascara. I think people should decide for themselves if they want to wear make up or not, who am I to judge? Although I prefer less is more.
ReplyDeleteAs a 17 year old, the only makeup I use everyday are concealer and chapstick. I personally love makeup. I'm one of those girls who use makeup as an accessory. And I don't do it for attention, I do it for me. Doing my makeup helps boost my self-esteem. However, I only go all out with makeup (with the eyeshadow, blush, eyeliner, and everything) during special occasions.
ReplyDeleteFunny you felt more exposed with make-up than without! But I think it would be the same with me. I do wear a bit of make-up - foundation, mascara and sometimes eyeliner - but that came gradually. I think I had to get used to it.
ReplyDeleteI use make-up to hide spots, and because my skin just looks fresher - which is somehow sad, because I´m only 20. I couldn´t go out without it, and at the beginning I felt a bit ashamed of that fact, but now I don´t really care. I do what I want. Full stop.
~girlwithcow
i wear make-up because i'm insecure about the way i look, if i were more confidant i wouldn't bother. Actually i think i'd still wear eyeliner because i consider that an accessory. It's foundation/concealer that's worn because of insecurity. Mascara at a stretch because the wearer has small eyelashes.
ReplyDeleteI generally think make up in not necessary. I rarely ever wear it, although I own some, if the occasion calls for it. I like you are a chap-stick kind of girl. Hooray for natural beauty. :)
ReplyDeleteThis post really got me thinking about why I wear makeup. I think I just realised that makeup and I have become such good friends that I don't really feel like the same person without it. I mean, I don't feel like I wear too much, my boyfriend only recently noticed that I wear makeup on a daily basis, and he has seen me without it more times than I can count, but it is part of my daily routine. The only way I can describe it is by comparing it to socks. of course I could get away without wearing socks everyday; they're not a necessity, but my feet are a lot more comfortable with socks on, as my face is more comfortable with makeup on. Even if it's only a little.
ReplyDeletemakeup yea, for me!
ReplyDeleteI'm 17, and I don't wear makeup to school most days, just cause I wake up late a lot and pants > eyeliner, and I'm very comfortable with my face. But I do love wearing makeup. I love putting makeup on for going out with my friends. It feels pretty, it feels special. (I don't wear foundation or eyeshadow but I'm a sucker for red lips and a little bit of liquid liner.)
My skin's pretty good, so I don't wear foundation, and sometimes I don't really bother with concealer since everyone has acne so it's not a big deal if someone sees I have a whitehead.
I like makeup, but I'm the type that uses it more for fun than to hide and cover up. I think it's totally fine for girls to wear makeup and enjoy wearing makeup, but it becomes a problem when the rest of society has high expectations for how women are supposed to look.
ReplyDeleteAlso, as a sidenote, I think you're absolutely gorgeous and your eyes are in no way too close together.
I am a guy who lives with his grandmother, mother, and sister. My grandmother will flip out if there's a visitor over before she's had a chance to put her makeup on. Generally my mother only puts on makeup a couple times a year. My sister has ramped up her makeup wearing since getting her job; sometimes I'll drive her to work as she puts finishing touches on in the sunshade mirror. Last month my mother came home looking extremely made-up, like too much. She told me she'd had a permanent makeup operation of some sort and that it only looked extreme because it was fresh. She actually cried because her appearance distressed her so much; well it was actually that she worried I'd think her vain. My mother is the least vain person I know. The permanent makeup did calm down and she doesn't look odd at all now. I have negative feelings about makeup based on these experiences, but I think they are misguided. I shouldn't be bothered by makeup so much as I should be bothered by a culture that makes so many women feel it's necessary.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way, Bryarly. I've said for awhile that when I wear makeup, i feel like people are staring at me. My one friend(ex friend now for different reasons) never understood that. I always feel more insecure wearing makeup than I do without it. I've never known of someone with the same views as me so thank you Bryarly.
ReplyDeleteYay:) but not everyday because I think that I might forget who I am or become insecure without it... plus I feel better when I know that people around me know how I look without make up, which might also be kind of an insecurity, because I don't want them to think I look beautiful :/ But I love it, I like the colors and the glitters and the different textures and all that you can create with it. I don't consider myself to be a creative person and I hate that about myself, at least makeup -or better, the process of making me look better- motivates me, and I think it does for most women.
ReplyDeleteI've always had an aversion to makeup. Senior year of college when I had to wear some for projects/presentations, I borrowed my roommates' stuff. Since then I've started figuring it all out, but I've only felt safe/comfortable experimenting since I started dating my boyfriend. When I was single I wasn't very comfortable with myself and makeup felt dishonest (like you said- "I feel obviously not myself"). I'm still self-conscious and everything, but his existence makes me a feel a bit bolder. Especially since he chose to date me long before I was painting my face. I do still struggle to find a balance, though. I wear minimal stuff but still feel like it's blatantly obvious and garish.
ReplyDeleteI don't wear makeup to school every day because I can't be bothered with it in the morning, but other times, I love wearing it, and I definitely do so as an accessory. I know that people know I'm wearing it, and don't try to hide that fact. If I'm going out with friends and I'll be wearing my red sunglasses, I'll put on some bright red lipstick as well. If I'm wearing my favorite blue dress, I'll wear a tiny bit of pale blue eyeshadow or liner just to tie things together. I think one of the reasons I'm so comfortable wearing makeup in public is that I've done a lot of theater growing up, and so I'm used to having makeup on in front of crowds. For me, making the transition to real life was fairly easy.
ReplyDeleteI'm 20, and I've worn a bit of makeup since probably 10th grade, so...four years? Just about. The makeup started just after the acne kicked, and about six months ago, I got around to going to a dermatologist and he made the majority of the spots on my face go away...so now, if I want to leave the house without makeup, I do! It's nice, really, but I generally tend to go through a mini-routine of foundation and moisturizer, powder, blush, a tad of eyeliner if I remember it, and then mascara because I like the way it makes my eyes look. I recently found red lipgloss that I am now in love with, so that's usually a staple.
ReplyDeleteHowever. I hate actually wearing makeup, because it tends to look...fake? Or something like that. Anyway, end rant. (:
Make up hate makes me really angry. I hate the idea that people who wear make up are insecure or vapid or that it makes the person fake. When a person alters their appearance in any way they aren't doing it for the people looking at them. They are doing it for themselves. People wear make up because it's fun, because it is a tool they use to express their personality and yes to cover their insecurities (not that that is anybody's business). But they don't need to justify these reasons for wearing make up, because it is their business and they are doing it for themselves.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to change your appearance, do it! If someone is literally wearing make up to cover up their flaws; how does that in anyway affect you? Someone's choice to wear make up does not in any way reflect their personal character. If you spend hours on your make up or don't wear make up you have a right to do so. And I will defend both ends of the spectrum's rite to do so because the women, men and any other way a person identifies is entitled to change or not change their appearance so they feel happy and more complete as a person.
I just have a lot of feelings on this topic. Their is a really wonderful Youtuber, albinwonderland, who talks about this a lot. I encourage you watch her video, "Journeys in Self Acceptance" she talks about this much better than I do.
Also have you heard the version of New Slang with the Shins and Iron and Wine? Literal eargasm.
I refused to wear make-up for a long, long time. My mum always wished I would though.
ReplyDeleteWhen I moved to a new high school, I finally gave in and put on some make-up for her.
Now, I kind of feel awful without any on, which makes me kind of sad. I mean, I'm not crazy into it. I usually just have on eye make-up and that's it. I could care less about foundations and that shit.
But still... I wish I could feel like I could go without, you know?
I like makeup! I'm not personally into caking it on really heavy or doing drastic things, but I feel like it enhances my natural beauty. I've worn it for quite some time - I'm 19 and the very first time I ever "wore" makeup was in 6th grade when I think all I wore was eyeliner.
ReplyDeleteIn high school, I went through a period of wearing too much because I was insecure about my acne. Also, I have always looked younger than I am, so I used to use it to try to make myself look more "grown up." At this point, I'm pretty darn comfortable with how I look since I'm just used to my face. I personally see makeup not only as an accessory, but also it can be the "finishing touch" when I want to look cute!
I agree - I always feel SO conspicuous when wearing anything besides under-eye concealer and mascara. I'd like to wear eyeliner to accent my teeny-tiny eyes, but it feels awful on my face in public - the one day I did wear it, I was constantly worrying about whether it had for some reason started to run, or if it looked terrible, or if people thought I was trying too hard.
ReplyDeleteSo now, I usually don't wear any makeup at all. Partly because I feel better without it (and love being able to rub my eyes/rinse my face without freaking that I would make my makeup run) and partly because I'm kind of lazy in the morning, and would rather not have to put on makeup and then inevitably have to fix some that smudged.
I grew up in theatre and dance, so it was a routine thing for me to put on show makeup when I was younger, and still is now. Because I always associated makeup with shows, I don't wear much makeup, if any, on a daily basis. So, shows and special occasions are the times I really sit down and do my makeup.
ReplyDeleteIt really depends on how much effort I'm willing to exert towards my appearance that morning, quite honestly. If I do wear makeup, it's usually just mascara, eyeliner, and chapstick. I did just get my braces off and bought some red lipstick to celebrate the occasion, but it's more the sort of thing I'd wear when I'm getting dressed up for Christmas Eve or something. I usually wear makeup in cycles. One month I'll wear it everyday and then when I tire of it I'll wear no make up for a few weeks. I like how I look with makeup, but I'd say I feel more comfortable without out. I definitely know what you mean about feeling more exposed with it on, especially with a red lip.
ReplyDeleteI wear an extremely minimal amount of makeup, like tinted lip balm and a tiny bit of eyeliner. When I'm not at school, I don't wear it at all. All of my friends wear a lot of makeup and it's weird when we've hung out over night and I'm just waiting for like, half an hour while everybody puts on their makeup. Also since I don't wear noticeable makeup, when I do, people just come up to me and say "Are you wearing lipstick?!" Which makes me really uncomfortable. Thanks for proving you don't need to wear tons of makeup to be pretty or confident.
ReplyDeleteI’m 23. Apart from some chapstick I struggle to come up with even a handful of times I’ve really worn makeup. My mom and two older sisters wear it, so it's not exactly a foreign concept. My mom has even been pushing me to wear it since I was 16 or 17. It just feels so fake or like I’m trying to be someone else that I can’t stand to wear it. I can completely relate to feeling more exposed wearing it than not. My other reason for not wearing it is because I had horrible acne as a teenager that didn’t start to clear up until I was around 20-21. My skin might not be perfect, but it’s better than it was a few years ago. That’s good enough for me and I don’t see how makeup could change that, so it just seems unnecessary. But if someone wants to wear makeup, that should be their choice for their own reasons. The only issue I see is when they feel pressured by society or anyone else to wear makeup so they fit a certain image.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI used to hate makeup when I was younger and a tomboy. People kept gifting me makeup and I was resistant. I grew out of that though, but I still don't take any pressure from society to look a certain way. I try to look natural as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way, actually, and I don't even really like the way makeup looks on most women. *shrugs*
ReplyDeleteI'm too lazy to put on makeup on a daily basis and I think I look fine without it. But sometimes when I go out I have fun with it.
ReplyDeleteEveryone seems to be listening to New Slang at the moment. Must be a December song!
ReplyDeleteI've only started to wear makeup recently, but I quite enjoy it, for me it's fun (I'm 15). I prefer to use it as an expression, rather than to cover my flaws, because that's what is comfortable for me.
ReplyDeleteYay for me. I have dark circles under my eyes (hereditary) and I don't quite have rosacea but I do go red very easily if embarrassed, stressed or if I get too hot...and my cheeks stay that way for ages. When it happens when I'm not wearing makeup, people always ask me what's wrong. So for me using concealer and foundation is just to even out the colour of my skin. Anything more than that is just for fun or to match my outfit, though usually I am too lazy because it always seems the day is over too quick and it's back to wiping all the hard work of eye makeup off.
ReplyDeleteI tend to go completely without makeup on a daily basis, as if I made the effort every single day it would feel like an obligation, and I'd dread the day that people would look at me in shock because I overslept once, or for whatever reason didn't have the time that day. So I reserve it for special occasions and going out in the evening, which I would feel incomplete and weird attending without make up, especially as I have gotten older, and have eye bags to cover up etc. I feel that it therefore remains fun, I really enjoy the process of getting dressed up and made up (sometimes more than the actual evening) and have become quite good at applying said makeup as a result. The look of nice surprise (as I usually look a complete scruff) accompanied with "you scrub up well"s is, I'm not going to lie, rather a nice pick-me-up ;)
ReplyDeleteI practically always wear make up, not because I /need/ it, it just makes me feel god about myself, like a good outfit. being a very self-conscious I feel the need to feel good, and I feel good when I wear the make-up.... when it goes right that is (more often than not I'm going out with smudges and smears and a red eye were I've poked myself in the eye with liner one too many times.)
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way when on my cousins wedding had to wear full faced make up for the first time. I felt so insecure simply wearing it. Just the anxiety of whether it was looking ADEQUATE was so uncomfortable and whenever i looked in the mirror , i reminded my self of how strange i looked. I don't wear make up, excluding a little bit of gloss and clear mascara. Kind of glad too, acne looks weird covered up :D
ReplyDeleteNay and your eyes are NOT too close together. At least, I don't think so.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t actually use makeup properly until I was around 17 years old and by then I had enough self-esteem to not let my confidence depend on the amount of facepaint I used (which I think is very healthy) but I’ve grown to love applying it. Nuance and shading have always dominated my art and the feeling of painting something alive, using myself as a canvas and experimenting with colour in accordance to my skin, my eyes and my hair, it's all become part of a daily ritual that puts me in a good mood. There's also the fact that I put my artwork on exhibition simply by walking among people.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel less like myself - I feel like a high-contrast version of myself, like my own muse and masterpiece.
Should probably point out I don’t think makeup is of vital importance to life - it’s just an enhancement to the artistic side of it. I’m always in favour of anything that makes the world a bit more colourful!
I used to feel the exact same way you did about make-up! I wasn't really raised to feel anything towards it, so I just assumed that make-up was for pretty girls that weren't really confident in themselves. And after watching many girls on Youtube, I was so wrong! There are so many beautiful, confident and really nice people out there that use it as a way to enhance their features instead of hide them. I'm still not a fan of foundation or concealer, though. It feels weird for me. Besides that, I wear eyeshadow, liner, mascara and so on(:
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of using a face as a canvas as like a painting, as it's a different texture and you use different products! But, I agree with you, as I feel so awkward and flashy when I wear a lot of makeup in public. I almost feel like people are judging me from my makeup and my physical appearance more than usual...
ReplyDeleteI think something that can also be related in this blog is how on YouTube, there is a lot of beauty gurus and sometimes when I watch them, I almost feel out of place because I don't wear makeup very often, and when I do, I don't wear a lot...
Makeup and I are basically just shy of being enemies. I wouldn't mind wearing it sometimes, but since I've barely ever used it I'm absolutely terrible at applying it. It seems really weird that as a 20 year-old I don't know how to use makeup. When I try to use eyeliner (which is really the only stuff I care for) I just end up looking like a raccoon. My husband isn't the type to care, luckily, but I think he would like it if I used some on a date once in a while...
ReplyDeleteAll that to say: No makeup for this gal. I spend every day with a naked face and I don't really care :]
Yeah, I enjoy makeup. It's a fun hobby. I got into it Freshman year of high school because I could, honestly. It was my first year of school that i was allowed to wear makeup.Why not give it a shot? It became a kind of fun thing to do in the morning.Oh, what color am I going to wear of eyeshadow, what can I do with eyeliner.It wasn't really to fix flaws.Well, some days it is,some it isn't.It's a hobby that myself and my sister have kind of bonded over, which is nice.We talk about what products we've heard are good quality and the fun new things we've tried out.A new technique we learned from some beauty guru.It's fun. It's a match of creativity and skill and an on going scavenger hunt.I like makeup because for me, it's a great form of self expression.
ReplyDeleteI really love what you said in the last part. I love wearing makeup and when I tell my friends that, their replies are usually along the lines of "Yeah you like to cover your face up" or other negative things that imply I am insecure and not already happy with the way I look. Which isn't true at all. To me makeup is fun and seeing the different looks you can create yourself is amazing and satisfying. I also used to believe that girls who wore makeup were self-conscious and insecure until I tried makeup and began to understand the creative and artistic satisfaction you can get from it.
ReplyDeletei dont dislike makeup but i dont really like it either. To me, it doesn't look nice. For example, my sister wears a lot of makeup to the point where she spends hours each morning putting it on. She is good at it and enjoys it but I think she looks better without any makeup- perhaps because I dont find beauty in what she looks like but what she is like. I find that she is not such a nice person anymore when she wears so much makeup as she is much more vain and unkind.
ReplyDelete