Why Do you Wear Makeup?
We’re getting ready to announce another challenge, but in the meantime we want to do a little crowdsourcing and I’d like to indulge in a bit of an overshare. Because thinking about makeup really got me…thinking about makeup. Specifically my relationship to it, and how that’s changed in the last, oh, four days.
So the other night I was faced with a bit of a social conundrum. I was feeling like garbage, but it was one of my dearest friends’ birthdays and he was getting people together for drinks. I obviously wanted to be there, but I felt so blah and my closet was full of stuff I all of a sudden hated. It was just one of those nights, and if I was going to get out the door, I was going to have to do some serious rallying.
I’ve always marveled at women who have a playful relationship with makeup and talk about the “transformative power” of a great bold eye or a blood-red lip (hyperbole above). But I’m more into the transformative power of a concealer that makes spots disappear, or a mascara that makes my blondish lashes show up on my pale face. My relationship to makeup has, in other words, always been rather functional. And while I do wear some makeup almost every day, and yes, I’ve had a brief romance with lipstick, there’s just no whimsy to what I do! No fun! And definitely no risks.
But that’s because I have some hangups. Like in my head, it’s okay for me to correct things I think of as flaws, but if I really go for it, I’m crossing some invisible line into abject fakery. It’s probably the same reason I’ve never worn pushup bras. It’s a not a feeling that extends to other women, mind you; I love seeing other girls in makeup and dressed to the bustiest nines. It’s a personal thing that probably has something to do with my rather late embracement of my own femininity, and I’ll stop there because I’m not paying you all by the hour to listen to me wax psychological.
But the other night, for whatever reason, I decided to totally do my face. I’m talking heavy blended liner, smoky shadows, luminizer, darkened eyebrows, matte skin and a bright red lip, courtesy of Chanel.* I slicked my hair into a high ponytail and for the first time maybe ever, I thought the person in the mirror looked alarmingly not like the me that woke up this morning. I felt…transformed!
I was surprised to find that with my fancy new face came a fancy new mood. It was a dramatic shift that I can really only attribute to, um, eye makeup. I can’t wait to do it again.
So we now have a question for you.
Why do you wear makeup? Like, do you wear it to correct things you think of as “flaws”? Do you wear it because it’s fun? Do you wear it because you feel more powerful/prettier/sexier/more feminine?
We know a lot of you don’t wear makeup, and we know a lot of you who do are more than willing to go without sometimes (yay!). But right now we want to hear from those of you who do paint your faces—even if you only use very little. So get crazy in the comments. We can’t wait to hear…. And we’ll announce the new challenge soon!
*Yes, yes I still have an old Chanel lipstick—don’t stone me! It’s probably gone off because it’s that old, and no, it’s not clean at all by our standards, but boy is it pretty…. Everything else I used was clean as a whistle, though.
Crazy Swan face via
Yes yes yes! I’m so glad to see this articulated outside my own head! I have always worn makeup to conceal, not reveal. Everything I wore–foundation, concealer, mascara, blush, bronzer, powder–was to make me look as though from embryo on, why, no, I didn’t have ruddy skin, or acne scars, or blonde-tipped eyelashes on dark features, or a deathly pallor and I spend \just enough time!\ in the sun to get all that damn vitamin D but of course I never sweat. None of it was to add color, or verve; it was all corrective. No wonder I didn’t look forward to \putting on my face\ in the morning; there was zero celebration going on, only a sort of dull corrective act.
I got a bombshell makeover (strictly for research, mais oui!), which I wrote about here:
http://www.the-beheld.com/2011/01/all-made-up-thoughts-on-being-bombshell.html
The upshot of it is that I had to think of why I was so unwilling to wear anything that looked like makeup; the answer was that I was afraid to. Yes, I prefer a \natural\ look and that’s still what I wear, but it was interesting to cross to the other end of the spectrum and see why it was so uncomfortable for me to do that.
As a result of this, I’ve started wearing bright red lipstick almost daily, and what I’ve found is that it’s been rather freeing–I still feel like myself, but a punchier version of myself who has the nerve to literally accentuate what I’m saying with these can’t-ignore-them lips. I wrote more about that here:
http://www.the-beheld.com/2011/01/retail-therapy-my-maiden-voyage-to-mac.html
(Sorry to be spammy but these both hit on this topic more completely that I’m able to do here.)
Looking forward to the challenge!
I have a very similar relationship with makeup! I turned 25 this year, and it seems that I am having a weird quarter-life crisis with respect to my style, beauty products, and makeup. I love makeup – I always have. But I agree that my application has become more functional than playful. I cover the imperfections, throw on some bronzer so I don’t look like a ghost, put on some living luminizer, and apply mascara. In my teens and college years, putting on makeup was like a fun experiment. Since I turned 25, I envy those girls with what I think of as “natural beauty” (oh, to not have to wear makeup!), and I focus my beauty routine on getting my skin to it’s natural best!
But, I feel like I have completely lost any desire for that “transformative” look. It almost seems silly if I do a smoky eye or a bold lip. When I do, at first I think, “Oh, well this is fun! How cute!” Then, as the day or night goes on and I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I start to think, “Who am I kidding? I look so over the top!” I sometimes even regret putting foundation all over my face instead of just concealer. I’m so impressed when other women wear a bold makeup look and make it look so natural!
I want to be able to find the perfect balance between being confident with the natural AND the playful!
I used to go to school and shopping and everything without make-up all the time. When I moved to London, one day I went on a walk and for some reason I felt so naked and gross.. because I wasn’t wearing make-up. I think it was from then on that I pretty much wore/wear make-up every time I leave the house following the phrase “you never know who you’re going to meet” (which, scarily enough, I think I heard in the remake Stepford Wives movie with Nicole Kidman…). Anyway! I wear the least amount of make-up from anyone I know. I just use foundation, and eyeliner with a bit of lip color (chapstick/shine). If I ever went to a party, I’d add on some eyeshadow and mascara. Yes, it does make me feel about ten times better. I try to use only natural products so at least I’m not adding poison onto my face like I probably did a few years back. That is my way-too-long make-up story.
Ohhh, so fascinating.
I loved playing dress-up with makeup when I was a kid, but I fell out of love with it around 9th grade, when it seemed like the whole functional makeup thing set in, and I was just not interested. So during most of my teens and 20s, I saved makeup for special occasions only. Of course, that all changed once I went to Beauty U and learned how to actually apply the stuff. For awhile after, I started feeling like I had to wear makeup whenever I went Somewhere (a work thing, a party, the dentist…). And I’m still struggling with that a bit, probably because, as a work-from-homer, going Somewhere always feels like an Event to me! But I’m trying to get back to the playing around thing. Because it is super awesome when you do an amazing smokey eye and it does make Real Events feel more eventful. (At least to me.) And I’d rather go over the top than strive for that so-called “natural look,” because that really feels like code for “your real natural face is not okay with us.” Which is a bummer.
Can’t wait to hear what other people think!
On a daily basis I don’t wear make-up at all. If I have a particularly hideous pimple then I will spare my colleagues and cover it up but I usually steer clear of make-up.
Occasionally, on the weekends, though I will wear make-up to play dress up. I particularly like playing around with different coloured eyes shadows and different ‘techniques’ (well, I call them techniques. they may be considered ‘disasters’ to a make-up artist).
All my make-up has been gifted to me. I can’t actually recall the last time I bought make-up on my own. Maybe people are trying to tell me something?
“But that’s because I have some hangups. Like in my head, it’s okay for me to correct things I think of as flaws, but if I really go for it, I’m crossing some invisible line into abject fakery.”
That’s pretty much me. I don’t wear makeup because I feel that I am lying. Friends, family and the boyfriend will all see me without makeup, so I’m not fooling them if I wear it. I really don’t care that much what other people think so I’m not going to get “dolled up” to walk down the street, or the mall or wherever.
When I did try makeup, I felt like I didn’t put it on right and everyone would stare at that. It just felt awkward. Even with all that said I still feel like buying some Bare Escentuals for a bit of sun protection.
Love this post, I have so been there…..yet it’s also been my experience, being of a certain age, that makeup looks great on the women who need it the least (18-35)!
…..And on another topic, you can rest assured, that Chanel lipstick is so brimming with preservatives it will be fresh as a daisy well into perpetuity….
I was taught that makeup was supposed to enhance a woman’s features. In other words, the beholder was to notice the woman and not the makeup, which is why, (I presume), I have always opted for less. I personally like to see a more natural look on a woman. It may take tons of makeup to achieve that “natural look”, but I prefer it to the obvious and overly madeup look. I recall one of those online make up lessons on the LA Times website designed to achieve a certain look, which was incidentally a very natural look. It must have taken about 15-20 minutes to achieve and consisted of a lot more make up than I actually own, (along with skill), but it did look wonderful.
There is nothing wrong with wearing makeup. As with all things external: clothes, hair, body image, etc., makeup properly applied can help you to feel confident, because you know you look your best and are not obsessing about the blemish on your cheek. I don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting to look and feel your best as long as it is for the right reasons.
I am totally a functional make up wearer – you hit the nail on the head. But it’s because I have a 17 month old and another on the way…that whole lack of sleep thing really makes the eyes dark. I wear makeup like I wear my underwear – because everyone else appreciates it more when I do. But it’s not all sexy, black and lacy. No, it’s more your higher cut brief cotton blend, organic cotton though. There was a time when I would use it to feature and play – and yes it times of a serious need of rally I do pull out the dark liner and shimmer. I am looking forward to the ‘glow’ of pregnancy and warmer weather when I can go almost makeup free. Spring is just around the corner!
I dress up for work as I feel it’s important for climbing the ladder in the corporate world and make-up seems to be a part of that. I don’t wear much … today I have on concealer, mascara and a little shadow. That’s my normal work week routine and I pared it down from foundation, loads of eye shadow, eyeliner and lipstick. I realized a few years ago that make-up is fun but just not functional as a working mom. Plus, I really didn’t need to cover up anything as I have nice skin (sorry to glout). It took me 15 years of wearing loads of make-up to realize that.
On the weekends, I will take a break and not wear any make up unless my husband and I have a date. I showed up at a playdate and my friend remarked how I didn’t need to wear make up. I told her, she’d be surprised, forgo make-up on the weekends and you’ll realize, you may not need it either.
I wear makeup because it’s fun for me to try out different looks but I also like to use safe cosmetics which sometimes can be a little difficult to find. Sometimes I buy something and my expectations are high but I end up getting disappointed by the product.
My relationship with makeup has gradually evolved from high-maintence into an all natural kind of thing. When I was in high school I experimented with everything in the makeup realm. I wore foundations and powders and concealers and lipsticks and eyeliners and 4 different shades of eyeshadow and 2 different kinds of blush and the whole shebang. Some days I’d even do nothing but a blood red lipstick and curled lashes. As I got older I got less and less interested in foundation, so that just went away. Eventually I went and became a yogini so makeup became really silly.
Nowadays I tend to wear as little makeup as I can feel comfortable in – which means I curl my eyelashes and wear mascara so I look more alert and awake… Then I throw on blush for brightness and lip balm. If I’m feeling adventurous I might wear some bright colored eye liner and I only wear eye shadow on the most dressy or wild occasion. I NEVER wear foundation – it makes me feel super-gross.
Makeup, much like lingerie in my book, should be for yourself. I know that my views on this are probably related to the fact that I’ve always had dark lashes and fairly defined features. But I remember the joy when I was little of having my mom go out and getting to sneak the opportunity to raid her makeup cabinet. I’ve always tried to preserve that joy. Sometimes when I see a look I love, I’ll sit at home all curled up in my comfies with smokey eyes and a bronzed face, just for the hell of it. i also have no qualms about going out for the day totally bare faced. Makeup isn’t about faking who you are, just tapping into all the different sides of yourself. If I’m feeling particularly sassy, I’ll throw on some hot pink lipstick; if I’m feeling bookish I usually sweep thick liquid liner and leave my glasses on; and on natural days I slap on some argan oil and I’m out the door. Makeup should never feel like an obligation or a chore. Makeup should be about celebrating yourself: you’re personality, you’re whimsy’s, your alter-egos.
I go in cycles with make-up. I pretty much always wear a little concealer, blush and mascara and I’ll go months with wearing just that. Then I’ll get on a kick where I’m having fun with it and I’ll get creative with eye shadow, luminizer, etc. It’s usually spurred on by an event I dress up for, and I’ll keep it up for a few months, but somehow I always revert back to the minimal routine when I feel like the time spent on make-up just isn’t worth it.
Another thing, as I get older, I’m finding that less is more. In my 20’s make-up could look fun and creative but now that I’m close to 40 I feel like it ages me. I look fresher with just the basics.
I just dumped all my dirty makeup and realized that 3 paper grocery bags full of products is quite ridiculous and a waste of money. I had a problem, but I just love makeup, like most women love shoes. I don’t wear very much (generally just mineral foundation, blush, and mascara) because I recently decided it makes me look older.
But I love applying makeup, and trying new products, especially now that I’m all clean! I can go without, but I feel more awake and ready to face the day if I have my mascara on!
I feel SO similar to many of these others readers who also commented about not wearing over the top makeup, and only using it to cover flaws. Now that I’m in my late 20’s, it seems much of my makeup is about fitting in at my work and trying to look professional. But the right brained side of me always wants to let some kind of small creativity show, either by wearing a brighter eye shadow, or some color on my cheeks. I feel that by incorporating just ONE out of the ordinary element into my makeup, it makes me feel a lot less “corporatey,” more true to self and real.
I always loved makeup when I was little but I saved all the craziness for playing dress up at home. But I recently bought a bunch of sweet Alima eye shadows ,so I’m excited to start testing them out. I think there’s a time and place for everything, so I’ll definitely be using them more often when I go out at night, and stick to plain jane at work.
Make-up makes me feel more feminine, flirtatious, and even a little more confident (yes, at 5′ nothing, I feel almost 5′1). Although, the older I become, the more of a functional relationship I have with my make-up. I wake up tired eyes with a bit of illuminizer and mascara. I have discovered 3-in-1 pressed powder for a conceal-all-in-two-minutes-or-less routine. I’ve even discovered a therapeutic excuse to wearing make-up: when I feel my age (and I mean really feel my age), make-up can invigorate me and make me feel younger and more energetic. And who wouldn’t become addicted to that feeling? Overall, make-up isn’t just that facade of fakery I slap on in the morning anymore…it sets my mood, my attitude, and my ability to conquer the world 24 hours at a time.
People have described me as having small or delicate features. From my point of view, I always felt like I was just invisible, that people l met once probably wouldn’t be able to recognize me a second time because I was so non-descript looking. Yes, I seriously believed this; thankfully my 36 years have shown me that it simply isn’t true. Yet occasionally the invisible girl shows up when I look at myself in the mirror. When I want to become visible, THAT is when I go beyond my daily mascara-only routine. I have never wanted to get used to seeing myself wearing make-up, never wanted to wake-up in the morning and feel the need to hide until I’d “put on my face”…I find it fun to use make-up transformatively, but 360 days of the year, I just don’t want to bother thinking about it.
almost every day i have to go to college i HAVE to wear make up bc i have these pretty bad blemishes on my cheeks and this and other acne. I have tried getting mineral and organic make up, but its so hard where i live but im doing my best.( thanks to your advice and learning ingredients, btw what do u guys think about this brand called YOUNGBLOOD?) I also have to wear tons of make up when im acting and i hated bc i feel like my acne just gets worst. so i use make up bc im insecure of my acne and my skin looks awful with or with out it :( but i cant help not wear it when i go out.
Even at the height of my makeup usage, I only ever donned a thickish foundation, kohl eyes, mascara and a smidge of eyeshadow. I have tried and tried again with lippie, but the effort just isn’t worth the reward. Too much hassle…too much worrying whether I’d accidentally gnawed some off and was walking around with borlotti bean lips. Of course, I went through the token goth phase and a phase where I wanted to be Cyndi Lauper, but that was years ago when I didn’t know any better. And I guess I donned the makeup then as a kind of ‘uniform’ in order to belong to a certain group. And I guess in a way it acted as a bit of a ‘mask’ – it was almost like I didn’t have to be ‘me’…I could be the creature in the mask.
Probably in the last five years or so I’ve taken to ditching the makeup pretty much altogether. I use a tinted sunscreen, which is more for practical purposes, and I’m lucky enough to have OK eyelashes so I can avoid mascara.
If I have a special occasion I’ll slosh on a mineral makeup and a tiny bit of eyeliner/mascara. But that’s about the size of it. I still have a box full of my old cosmetics – not really sure why, because I never use them and they would look far more ridiculous on my 35 year old skin than they did on my 25 year old skin.
Why do I wear makeup? That’s a really good question. I have struggled with this over the past few years, because I actually find it to be yet another ridiculous vestige of the days of yore, where women were just seen as pretty objects. (Oh, hang on, we still have Miss Universe pageants, right? And we still place far too much emphasis on what women look like at Awards ceremonies and, god forbid, what celebrities look like without their makeup :-o)
I would love to throw out my box of cosmetics and stick my finger up at this patriarchal society we live in. But the social conditioning is too strong I guess :( And I feel there is a certain level of judgment a female encounters if they face the world with a bare face – this will only disappear when all women make a conscious decision to reject makeup…but that will never happen. Instead, we’ll choose to keep ourselves locked up in the cage for pretty objects.
Well – well – well…. I’m actually one of those that doesn’t wear make up. Not because of any deep seeded belief about natural beauty or any rebellious attitude towards the beauty industry. I’ve had SEVERE sun sensitivity since age 18 that has since turned my skin severely sensitive to almost all chemicals out there. So for years I lived like Dracula – in at dawn & out at sunset. Finally the tides started turning in the cosmetics industry & someone was kind enough to start producing sunblocks that I could wear without all those nasty chemicals. So for the last few years my beauty regimen has been – ha – well – sunblock and lotion. I started thinking about a few weeks ago though that I would love to start taking care of my face a bit more – you can imagine I probably need it. So I started looking for safe, organic, clean, chemical free makeup and face products to \play\ with. In my case, I think that I have learned – yes unfortunately \learned\ – to love my natural beauty. I show up everywhere without makeup happy in my own skin. But I do have a curiosity about makeup & for me its like finding a fun toy to play with for kicks and wiggles. I have friends who hate themselves without makeup almost to the point of hiding the their face till they dab something on! Most tell me they wish they were like me and that satisfies me. I can’t wear make up in the heat of summer though so I’ll concentrate on face care at that time of year. But winter will be fun from now on – I will call myself the \evil twin\ and will have fun \playing\ with it. Now all I have to do is finish reading your book, make a shopping list according to your guidelines and my Yekyll and Hyde act will be on it’s way!
I wear about 1/3 of the makeup I own. if that. I wear mascara on a daily basis and oftentimes blush and concealer, but that’s it. I wear makeup on a day-to-day basis to accentuate certain features (mainly my long eyelashes) and to feel prettier. everything else is for fun. makeup is essentially real-life photoshop and it’s fun to make the blemishes disappear and look more awake with a few strokes. and when you use your fingers, it’s fingerpainting! on your face! and I wear it to feel more glamorous on special occasions. I’m refusing to throw out my MAC gaga lipstick just for those few times I’ll wear it because it makes me feel so fantastic when I have it on!
I used to wear a full face of make-up every day (except on weekends). Now, as the mother of two children who are oh-so-demanding in the morning, I barely have time for the basics: concealer, powder, eyeliner & mascara. I love make-up products. And I used to love getting ready but now it seems like a chore. If I could get away with wearing none, I would. Alas, my dark circles do not let me get away with that. I love the natural, glowing look that some women have and wish I could duplicate.
I’m very glad I found this blog – quite by accident several months ago. I am now trying my hardest to use natural skin care and make-up. (When I can afford it.)
I wear makeup every day to work, a little more if I am going to dinner or the theater, a little less if I am just going shopping; a little more going to lunch with the girls, a little less if I know I will definitely not run into anyone I know or have ever known at any point in my life! Mascara a definite necessity with blonde eyelashes, bronzer or blush, less foundation than I used to wear thanks to Egyptian Magic Cream. I look a certain way when I leave the house each day, and it gives me confidence. By the time I get home, I no longer look that way. I don’t know what time of day the makeup wears off, maybe I rub it off, but it doesn’t matter by then! Day is over and I can wash my face!
When I started wearing makeup it was purely functional. Now though, as I’ve learned more about technique, application and colour coordination, I thoroughly enjoy playing with it. I don’t need it, don’t use a lot of it (as in, I don’t wear layers and layers of the stuff) but I love all the different colours, improving my skills and seeing what effect it all has on my skin, face shape and eye colour. It’s just fun! That’s all it’s meant to be, as far as I’m concerned.
Anything from subtle and naturally enhancing make up to eye-popping purple eyeshadow and red lipstick (though not at the same time!!) never fails to cheer me up. I do not wear it for anyone else but myself; I don’t use make up because of how I want to be perceived by other people. I simply enjoy playing around with it and seeing the results.
I don’t agree with the idea of make up being used as ‘fakery’. Make up doesn’t hide your personality anymore than a coat and gloves do. If you end up hiding your entire face behind make up, then that’s a conscious decision and that says something about your personality and choices as well (I don’t mean that in a negative way!). Make up has quite a few negative connotations, which, in my personal view, are completely unnecessary. It’s just another way for women to express their creativity, identity and femininity. What’s wrong with that? And if women choose not to wear make up, or don’t have time, there’s nothing wrong with that either!
I don’t love wearing make-up everyday, and I usually do on Mon-Fri for work. I just think that it makes me look “awake” and “healthy”. I used to put everything on from foundation to mascara, but now I only put mineral powder, little blush, thin eyeliner, and mascara (mostly clean). Then, I’ll have my bath and put a mask on Friday night or Saturday morning, then I’ll go make-up free on the weekend.
I think every girl or woman has some sort of weird relationship with makeup. I started wearing it at a pretty early age to conceal the dark circles under my eyes, which have always contrasted unprettily (in my mind) with my pale and freckled skin. In high school I went all out (though still not as dramatic as my peers), wearing foundation, blush, eyeliner, eyeshadow, and lip gloss everyday. By college I’d mellowed out a bit on the full routine, and after this past summer as a counselor at a sleepaway camp, and then as a full-time volunteer at a children’s home in Peru, makeup had definitely fallen by the wayside. After the first few weeks in Peru, my face remained bare, mostly because I knew makeup would not survive the day, and I certainly wouldn’t have time to apply it. For the first time in my life, I truly didn’t care what I looked like, dark circles and occasional blemishes be damned. My worth was derived by whether I could communicate with the children, whether I could teach a baby how to walk, how many dishes I could wash, whether I made it through the day. When I got back to the States, that confidence began to drip away as I was once again surrounded by people of my own age and race. When I look in the mirror, I’m completely fine and proud of the fact that I look different from those sporting the sorority-girl style at my University. I like my short, dark, curly hair, my pale skin, and my eclectic outfits. But it’s hard for me to show up to class or a night out with uneven skin, pale lips, and still, those dark circles. On a day-to-day basis I wear a little cover-up, a cream blush, chapstick (all all-natural or organic!), and that’s it. It takes all of two minutes, and it makes me feel more ready to face the sometimes intimidating world of my peers. It can’t be denied that that’s purely a confidence thing, but when I’m going somewhere fancy or just feel like it, I do have fun with makeup. I really like doing fun eye-makeup and occasionally wearing red lipstick. I have a few friends who proudly leave their faces bare on a day-to-day basis, and I envy them, because I think that they must have what I had back when I was that way.
It depends on where I’m going, how I’m feeling and what I’m doing!
Sometimes I wear makeup because I just love getting all gussied up, playing with color, making statements. And I do adore makeup. If it were better for my skin, I would wear the full-on mask with done up smokey eyes every single day.
But I have a very irregular work schedule (freelance) so I mostly wear nothing unless it’s expected of me to look at least a certain level of “put-together.” This is always the case with work meetings, or work-related daytime social things, for example. I’m super pale and have dark circles under my eyes, so when I wear absolutely nothing, I tend to look tired, older, even a little sick, maybe. So the absolute minimum for me, if there is a chance I’ll run in to someone, is concealer, a little soft light brown eyeliner, blusher and colored lip gloss.
I like the comment about the quarter-life crisis regarding style, I think I’m having the same thing (although that could be the challenge of dressing for the relatively new identity of motherhood with out going total frump). I think I use make-up to help outline social roles, and get myself in the correct mind frame for the day ahead. If I’m going to work I wear make-up, very simple and natural looking stuff, because I feel it adds something polished and “finished” to the look. If I’m going to school I may or may not wear make-up depending on my mood, if I do it is with a playful eye. If I will be spending the whole day with my kid, even if we’re going out somewhere, I will not put any on, at all. Again, something about it puts me in the right frame of mind- with my daughter I need to be genuine and honest (even if I am genuinely frustrated with her or honestly informing her that what she’s asking about is a private matter) as much I can and something about not wearing make up facilitates that for me. Recently I started casually dating a guy I’ve been friends with for a number of years. An interesting thing happened- I started wearing make-up when I knew I was going to see him. I don’t think this was a need to put on a “best face” or anything (he already knows too much about my bad habits). I think it was a subtle way of reminding him, and myself, that we moved into new and different territory.
What a great post (!!) and I thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every comment. All I have to add is that the older I get (pushing forty, geez), the less makeup I want to wear. Aside from sheer laziness coupled with a very laid back lifestyle, I think it’s because I finally appreciate this face I was given, imperfections and all. The tender irony is that now that I’ve gone 99.9% clean, I get more compliments than ever on my visage! Ha, take that L’Oreal.
Just a very humble suggestion: It would be great to see a post about which makeup people use, and why. Even though I use it only occasionally, I sure am a sucker for the perfect (clean) gloss or the holy grail of mascara. :))
I wear a little mascara every day. Lipstick every day. Neither one is terribly crazy or dramatic. Darker lipstick in the winter, lighter in the summer. I like to wear vintage clothes, and the little bit of makeup I wear pulls the whole thing together. I just bought a mineral powder with SPF. Feels too makeup-y for me, but I’ve noticed that, even though it is the middle of winter, my face is a bit more tanned than it ought to be. I have super-fair skin and want to take care of it; I don’t want to use chemical sunscreens and physical ones are too heavy. I like my face best when it’s well-moisturized but otherwise bare (even if I have large pores and old acne scars), but I also don’t want to age my skin any faster than I have to. sigh.
But Dr. Hauschka mascara and a little lipstick? yes please.
Great post and I’m looking forward to the new challenge! I’m a little late on the last one (I only read about it once you declared the winner!) but I’m still doing the two week, no soap challenge now out of curiosity and hope!
As for makeup, I’m more like you. I use eye liner and mascara to bring out my pail eyes and I use face powder in the winter because I don’t like my winter complexion. That’s all. And only when I go out. I work from home, so if I am not meeting with clients or going out to some social or networking event, I’m always without makeup. Although I use it to feel better, I still feel guilty and icky when I do. I was never one to get excited to put on my make up. I was never one to even really know HOW to put on my makeup! But I must say, it does help me gain a confidence boost when I go out, so I’m not sure if I could go au naturel to an event or to meet a client?? I’ll have to think about it.
I never wore makeup in high school, and rarely in my 20s. Makeup was for special occasions, but not an every day look. Then I had children and just didn’t have the time or energy for making myself up. But over the past few years, as my children have gotten older and more independent, I invest more time in myself. I wear makeup almost every day. It’s a neutral palette (and all natural) because that is what I’m most comfortable with and it’s easiest. I use concealer, foundation, eye shadow, eye liner, and a finishing powder. As a stay-at-home mom, there are some days I don’t leave the house at all, but I still put on makeup and a dress or skirt and heels. I do it because it makes me feel good. And when I’m fully dressed and made up, it seems to motiviate me, and help me accomplish more, as silly as that may sound. There’s no temptation to crawl back into bed or spend the day lazing around. It may sound foolish to some, but this is me, this is what I enjoy. I like makeup; I enjoy dressing up; I love high heels!
I love makeup! Someone once said, “Every old barn looks good with a fresh coat of paint.” That being said, I mostly use it to conceal flaws and brighten my eyes. If I am going out on a date with my husband, I do add a little drama to make me feel like a girlfriend again.
I also usually go for the functional look. However, if I had the skills I would totally be more playful. I just suck at applying it, and I’m a little lazy, haha.
I LOVE MAKEUP!!!!
There is nothing that makes me feel more sexy and more confident than putting on some red lipstick or a smoky eye.
Since I have cleaned up my make-up bag I seem to be wearing much less on a ‘normal day’, usually only foundation, mascara, a little eye shadow, maybe some blush and some lip gloss.
But when I doll myself up (and boy do I look forward to those occasions) I go to town. Not packed on, but I just take the time to put liner on and I shade different colours onto my lids… I love spending time doing my makeup and I feel fabulous after it’s all done.
I have to admit as well that I have a beautiful Nars lippy that I bring out on such special occasions as the colour is amazing!
I’ve always had and still do have a strange relationship with makeup. On one hand, I can transform myself and feel more confident, but on the other hand I question why I do feel like my natural face isn’t good enough to stand alone? That being said, I started experimenting with makeup in high school. My routine has definitely changed throughout the years and the older I become, the less I wear. My current everyday routine which is completely functional consists of concealer, mascara, maybe some eyeliner and lip balm. If I go out, I’ll add more according to how I feel. I think my biggest challenge with makeup is wanting that “clean palette” because I struggle with breakouts. The less makeup I wear, the more comfortable I feel because I find myself checking in the mirror way too much if I have on a full face of makeup.
I would say my relationship with makeup is complex. but probably mostly functional. I wear minimal makeup daily like concealer , powder, lip gloss, eyeliner and mascara. I’m very fair so I must conceal discolored spots and add color. I was raised to feel you only looked presentable or really dressed for the day with makeup on. I had a mother that stressed never leave the house without it because you never know who you may run into. It’s kinda my mom’s version of the clean underwear advise. Her saying was” For god’s sake please at least put on some lipstick” She was never caught without lipstick and she could apply it without a mirror in a moving car and it was always applied perfect as well.
I have had such a terrible time with blemishes in the past few years which has lead to more makeup not less daily. By the end of the day it felt gross and I would wash my face as soon as getting home. In the last month I have decided to try a new approach, less makeup and natural facial products. My face already has cleared up and i feel much better wearing less makeup. I hope to get it to the point I can just use mascara and lip gloss daily.
Out of 7 days per week, I wear make up for probably 3 or 4 of them….
And generally speaking, my routine consists of a light mineral powder, light mineral blush, and an organic mascara. Once in a while I get a twitch and go for it with a little eye shadow, but my hubby’s always been an all natural kinda guy and I was a hardcore tom-boy for my first 20 years, so going extra light on the make-up is good by me..
As far as WHY I wear it…
I get dark dark circles under my eyes and have a slightly uneven complexion, so I like that the mineral powder and blush evens it all out for me… not so much COVERING “flaws” but just giving my face a fresher appearance.
I wear mascara because I have really light lashes and I like that little bit of definition.
I find that when I’m feeling a little lagging in the afternoon, looking in the mirror and finding that I at least LOOK fresh and fantastic functions as a great pick me up.
<3
My relationship with makeup is confusing…
I have always been a complete tomboy. But for some reason my family members were always buying me makeup! I have TONS of it that I never used, and I felt guilty/ungrateful for not using my Christmas/birthday/random tuesday gifts… Also, I have an odd combination of eczema and acne, so my dermatologist actually recommended that I use a clean foundation on the dry patches of my skin to moisturize, and powder to control the oil. So I finally gave up and dove into that stockpile of makeup!
This was well over 2 years ago and I would wear so little makeup no one ever noticed that I wore it at all, not even my family. But I noticed a DRASTIC improvement in my skin! So this year I’ve finally started playing around with thin eyeliner, mascara, tinted moisturizer, powder, and even a little lip gloss! I must admit, I’m hooked D= I don’t use a lot, and sometimes people will still have to ask if I’m even wearing it. But it all but stops my breakouts, hides my blemishes/dark circles (thanks genetics), and yes! Even brings out my eyes more.~
So I guess you could say that I started wearing makeup for necessity, and continued because it makes me feel more confident about my appearance, more “pulled together”. (and eczema sucks!)
It’s really interesting to read about everyone’s thoughts on the necessity (or not) of makeup. I’m becoming aware that I do have a bit of a dysfunctional relationship with my makeup bag; I often wear as little as I can get away with, which sometimes is just concealer and a sweep of powder, but I feel like this is the absolute minimum. I’ve had acne in varying degrees since the age of thirteen and the mentality that goes with it doesn’t go away easily, even if I’m probably the clearest I’ve been since then.
I will occasionally crack out the lipstick or black eyeliner of an evening but I hate the feeling of catching sight of myself in the mirror and thinking that my face is hidden behind loads of slap… if I could I would wear nothing but the psychological difference between that and wearing the tiniest amount is so big for me.
All of my make-up life (I’m 18…so for about 5 years) it has always been about covering up. Acne mostly…i have been cursed with moderate to severe acne since 7th grade. It just started getting really bad in the last year, which is when I started taking oral antibiotics [i was desperate!!!!] for it….It is sad, really. Because I’ve never experienced make-up as a fun thing to do…i actually stopped wearing it for about a year. Anytime I put on make up it is because I am embarassed about my skin. I hope someday I’ll be able to stop wearing it…but for now, i won’t be seen in public without it.