‘Tricking’ Men With Our Makeup
This one is for all the ladies out there that have been told, “You look so different without makeup!” or “You are so much prettier without all that makeup!” or my personal favorite: “Why are you trying to trick guys into thinking that is how you really look?”
I know this may come as a total shock, but I am going to just throw it out there. Not everyone who wears makeup cares about your opinion on the way she chooses to express herself. Don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that makeup can act as a vehicle for camouflaging imperfections, but that is nowhere near the reason why I wear makeup.
For me, along with many other women, makeup is a tool that allows for creativity. I know plenty of artists in the traditional sense – they draw landscapes, paint portraits, photograph nature – and I consider myself an artist as well. However, instead of painting a masterpiece on canvas, I paint a masterpiece on my face for everyone to see. I use my skin as the canvas, and my lipstick and eyeshadows as acrylics and watercolors.
One of the most frustrating things is when someone will say something regarding my lack of confidence in correlation to how much makeup I wear. I appreciate the mock concern, but in all reality the two characteristics have nothing to do with one another. Does my eyeshadow color also portray my mood? Come on, now. Maybelline Cosmetics recently released a new ad campaign in which they promote strong and confident women using strong and long lasting makeup products. This has been the first campaign that I have seen in a while (possibly ever) that has a slogan that does not relate to covering something up or categorizing something as less than beautiful.
In my eyes, makeup has always been something that not only enhance natural beauty, but something that allows you to express yourself in dramatic/unusual ways. I wear makeup almost every day, and my routine drastically varies from BB cream and mascara to heavy contour, winged liner and a dark lip. This being said, I do not feel any less beautiful or confident when I wear less makeup, because I am comfortable in my own skin either way. The days where I do not have on any makeup whatsoever, the same thing applies. I spend a fair amount of time in the morning completing a smokey eye and full coverage face not because I am trying to impress anyone, but simply because it is an art form that makes me incredibly happy to take part in. Although you may believe that I look better without a ton of makeup on, I believe you look better when you aren’t a judgmental prick who assumes his opinion is valid.
In my years of experimenting with cosmetics and different looks, I have come in contact with many people who think that their opinion will sway how I express my individuality. I would just like to point out that if someone shows me their most recent drawing that they are proud of without any signs of wanting advice or critique, I am not going to elude to the fact that they are clearly going through an emotionally draining time because they painted the sky with a sunset, not sunny and blue. I know this may sound like a ridiculous and far out comparison, but that canvas is their work of art, and my face is mine. Unless I ask for your opinion, keep it to yourself.
Surprisingly enough, I do not wish to hear your impressions on my form of artistry, and would greatly appreciate your consideration of my reasoning behind the cosmetics I choose to add to my daily routine. Instead of judging someone upon the way they express themselves artistically, I challenge you to accept it fully. Instead of assuming someone lacks self-confidence because they wear makeup, I challenge you to let them speak to that directly. Instead of jumping to the conclusion that your opinion matters to them, I challenge you to step back and ask yourself why you are so concerned with their personal art form.