I am prefacing this post by saying I barely wear makeup (is slapping glitter on your face “real makeup”?, the next presidential debate topic), I don’t know how to do makeup, but I really think we underestimate the power and psychological issues/potential trauma makeup can create. Granted, makeup can be and is gorgeous/fun because you can accent your favorite features or you can coordinate it with a cool look (i.e. special effects makeup or just a really bold neon green eyeliner), but at what point is it too much? Is it at the point where you have put on a full face for a beach trip? Is it when you have to put on a full face for a gym session? Is it when you’re incapable of seeing yourself/allowing yourself to be seen without makeup, so much so that it dictates how, when, and if you’re even going to be seen in public that day? Or when seeing your bare face strikes actual fear and depression into you? I do not think the idea of seeing your bare face exposed or exposing your bare face to the world, rendering you depressed, disturbed, or even disgusted is given enough space in talking about dismantling body dysmorphia. The alienation experienced at the disconnect of seeing your bare face and not registering it as your own because it has no makeup on it sounds like a trauma response to me. The gym comment is from a conversation I had with a friend. She legitimately could not go to the gym with me (or outside for that matter) without applying at least five different products and I remember pointing out, “dude you’re gonna sweat that off 5 minutes into rowing” and she told me she “wouldn’t allow” herself to go outside without it.
I know we’ve all at some point during a feminist-y/cultural/media studies class seen the Dove Beauty ad where they show how edited models faces are and how that editing becomes an (un)achievable goal for women to try and reach. We’ve all read the statistics about self-esteem rates in the demographic most affected by make-up sales/modeling: women, especially young girls. Most of us (raised as girls) were introduced to make up in some form when we were young and it was only for women and, for some, a sign of being a woman. For example, my sister was that kid who would sneak into my mom’s makeup drawer and try on her lipstick (while I was busy being “not like other girls” and “hating” makeup). Regardless of our makeup journey, she and I were still from a young age shown how “women” looked, most of the time involving makeup. There’s also the lack of diversity in makeup. I can think of three brands off the top of my head that have faced criticism at some point for having 400 shades of white but only 4 shades to cover anything darker than a light tan. What message does this send to black and brown girls? What message does this send about their skin? In following this train of thought, there’s also the use and advertising of skin bleaching products. I am not a person of color so I’m not going to delve into the issues of colorism heavily, but I know in other countries there is a huge market for skin bleaching products because fairer/lighter skin is seen as ideal. Again, what does this tell girls with dark skin? That if they want options they need to bleach their skin? That their skin isn’t valued enough to make proper shades?
I am not saying we need to ban makeup at all (again, once I realized they made highlighters where I could just slap glitter on my face and call it a day, I made some purchases), but I think we don’t take enough of a critical look at the way makeup plays into body dysmorphia, specifically with our faces. I know I’m truly just scratching the surface of the conversations and debates on makeup and “beauty” culture, but I think we really need to examine what bodies are shown as “needing” makeup, what bodies aren’t given access to makeup, and what this can cause people to feel about their own faces, especially when it gets to the point that people are scared to leave their homes without applying 5 different makeup products.
Unruly Bodies 
I totally agree with you that makeup can be both beneficial and harmful. It can be a lot of fun to experiment with makeup and express yourself creatively, but I also think there are a lot of potential downsides to makeup that people don’t consider very often. Like you I don’t usually wear makeup, but I love seeing other people rock whatever fashion they like. Makeup can be a great avenue for self-expression, but I do think people who wear makeup should be careful that they don’t end up hating their natural features because of it. I also like how you included the issue of shade range, because that it a very prevalent issue in society. I think that due to public pressure, some brands have finally started to branch out and make shades for ALL skin colors, but it’s a shame that it has taken so long.
Hi,
I love the post and I agree in some aspects. Make up, especially the influencer make up culture we see now with social media, has truly affected many people’s dysphoria. It is interesting to see the trends that speak to this. Like the new tiktok trend of seeing the literal differences in how you look with or without make up with a voice over that suggests the unmade up face is a catfish or ugly. These harmful suggestions are everywhere. But I also want to add that some of the suggestions in this post can be a bit harmful too. I am one of the girls who loves make up. I don’t wear it everywhere but when I do I go bold and expressive. Is that an insecurity of mine? Maybe. Am I promoting certain societal expectations of women? Maybe again. But what you’ve said here also has been said to me 100 times. “You don’t need it”, “you look unnatural”, “doesn’t it confuse you when that all comes off”. Aren’t there two sides to this coin? Isn’t there also a place for maybe not needing the full face at the gym, but if I want it is that really a bad thing. My make up habits may be based on something entirely different from insecurity and dysphoria and I think a lot of the times I get that response and that can be harmful too. I think both sides of the coin promote a certain stereotype, that women should always look “perfectly natural”, not enough make up you can tell but still flawless enough that when it comes off you should look different. I think when thinking about the harmful implications of the “need” or “promotion” of make up, we also need to be sure we are not demonizing or invalidating a group of people who, for one reason or another, feel more comfortable with it on.
Thank you for this comment! And I agree, there are definitely two sides to this and I was really aiming to not come off as advocating for the removal of makeup as an industry or form of expression. I think what I’d like to explain (hopefully) better is that my concern is when society implies/says that makeup is needed to hide a flaw or “fix” something on someone’s face to fit a societal norm.
Hello!
I love your post. This is something I’ve been waiting to see! To relate makeup towards the past ~almost~ year of our lives since we’ve been in quarantine–I have not put on a full face of makeup since Feb 2020. I only did full faces when I was going out, or going to school for a whole day. It made me feel good about myself. I have an uneven skin tone (redness, bags, weird tans on my face sometime, lol). I hate my nose, so I’ll snatch it at least with some highlighter to look cute! Since not even having a reason to at least do my eyebrows (major need for me before COVID)–I’ve learned to appreciate my natural beauty, though it may not be conventional, or acceptable to be on the surface. My partner sees me almost every day, and tells me I’m beautiful at the most RANDOM times; After me wearing the same clothes for 1.5 days, or not showering or washing my face & I’m absolutely STUNNED. It’s taken me time to get used to my face without makeup–but I think I’m there for the most part. It helps having an affirmation like that, I’m so thankful to have this in my life day-to-day.
Also, I have a friend who always refuses to go out in public without a full face of makeup. Granted, she is an “influencer” and makeup artist…So I can understand the passion for it. But it got to a point where she wouldn’t post a picture on Instagram without editing it with FaceTune, or making sure her makeup was FLAWLESS. After knowing her for 12 years, I’ve seen her beauty in all forms…natural, face ‘done up,’ makeup sweating off. I think she’s beautiful regardless. But the power of makeup, in all it’s glory & positive associations, I’ve seen how the beauty community has influenced her, and her self esteem. She hates facetiming with me at night because her makeup is off, & her colored contacts are out…despite knowing me since we were 11 & me knowing her raw, true self.
One last thing, thank you for bringing up the lack of diversity & inclusivity in makeup brands & the mainstream beauty community. This is a major issue! From my recollection, it wasn’t until Rihanna came out with Fenty, that major brands came out with inclusive makeup shades. The conventional standard of beauty in our society is limiting, & non-inclusive. This is a very important issue. From the people I follow on Twitter, & Instagram, I’m able to see Black makeup artists & their art! It’s refreshing! It’s slowly becoming more mainstream to see Black beauty at the forefront–natural & in makeup art. But, we NEED to do better.
Amazing post, it made me reflect A LOT. ❤
I really liked your approach to this topic. I consider myself to be one of the “all natural” ones who barely applies makeup. I mean I maybe put mascara and eyeshadow on when I’m dressing up but that is it. In all honesty, I’m not completely sure how to apply certain products and I’d rather save myself the stress of trying to make my eyeliner look perfectly even. I’m actually doing some research for another class about Dove’s ‘Real Beauty’ campaign and I’ve seen how much positivity came from those advertisements that were untouched and completely raw. I think that our society puts too much pressure on females to look a certain way and it’s clearly evident that beauty companies are trying to compare makeup to sexual desires. I’m glad that you took this approach though because more females, especially college students, need to hear that beauty products do not make someone beautiful and they should not hold as much importance as they do to our worth and self-esteem.