LET'S CHAT #3: WHY DO WOMEN WEAR MAKEUP?

I have been meaning to write this post for a while, what triggered me was seeing girls getting upset over their partner's comments on how they "don't need to wear makeup". I was shocked because my partner loves make up and loves commenting on the colours.  Today I want to share some reasoning behind why people wear makeup. I know the title indicates "women", but the reasonings below applies to people of all gender.


CONFIDENCE

I discovered eyeliner when I was in 8th grade, I started wearing it to fit the 'scene', my dad hated it and told me not to wear it. During high school I wasn't pleased with my appearance and every girl in my grade looked like barbie while I was hairy and had awful skin. I had no idea that most girls had wore makeup.

I do feel more confident in makeup, for my line of work, I deal with a lot of people who may not take me seriously because they think I look like I just graduated high school. Makeup is like a filter, different colours and different shaped brows can make me appear more mature or younger. I would often wear a bold lip and eyes when facing intimidating clients. Amazingly in that situation, makeup channels a sense of control which changes the way people react to my recommendations.


ACCENTUATING FEATURES

 A lot of people feel that using makeup is masking yourself. I beg the differ, pending on how you use makeup (and yes, it is a fine art), it will greatly accentuate your features. We all want to put our best foot forward, display our vast wealth of knowledge, do our hair to look nice or wear clothes to suit our body shape. So why not take the effort to do the same for your face?  I mean, it's the first thing people look at and often what first impressions are made out of. Why is it that judgements are not passed when people wear clothing to reveal their hourglass curves or a wrist full of jewels. Yet judgements are occasionally instanteously applied towards girls who wear makeup.



WEAR IT FOR YOURSELF

It is common for people to assume that girls wear makeup for everyone else. But as Joe Lycett had said, when you "assume" you make an "ass" out of "u" and "me".

I personally feel that the effect and outcome of makeup is internal - did that even make sense? I put on colours (whether it's blush, eye shadow, lipstick etc) to reflect my mood or how I'm feeling. I have absolutely NO idea what colour other people would like me to wear so how can I be wearing a specific colour/product for someone else?

Even if makeup does boost my self esteem when I'm around other people, well it's still self-fulfilling. See how wearing makeup for other people is a non-linear concept? Unless you HATE makeup and the ONLY reason you wear it is because your partner or anyone else tells you that you should, you must, you need to and you will. But either way, us as humans, we have a choice, there are no altruistic acts, everything we do will directly affect or satisfy ourselves one way or the other.


SEXUAL ATTRACTION

Some people wear it to attract a mate. I remember the initial dates with my partner, I did my makeup differently to the way I'd do it now - that was all for attraction.

Again - I did not wear makeup for him. I wore it because I was single and I wanted to attract a potential mate. If I wasn't, then I probably would try and look as undesirable as possible.

I have read this in many articles, the fact that crimson lips mimick the health and colour of the labia/vagina while the application of blush either mimicks a baby's youthful flush or the simple fact that it looks like we are blushing.. which can mean modesty, shyness, embarassment etc.


FEMINISM

Now many would see wearing makeup as an anti-feminist or patriarchal act. Perception is such a malleable concept, depending on where you stand and how you see things, using and wearing makeup fits into female power as much as anything else.

If men ask women NOT to wear makeup, does wearing makeup for ourselves make it a feminist movement? Think about it.

When it comes to equality and rights, I feel that judgement is more heavily passed onto men who wear makeup. A man can be a feminist, just as both women and men have every right to wear a dress, pants, shave their head, get tattoos, dye their hair, get piercings and wear makeup.


MISC
This is the last and final reason I will talk about today. People who work in the industry will have a lot of makeup. If you have an impressive collection of makeup lying around, you might as well use it before it's time to hit the bin.

Some people may enjoy the process of makeup application and some people like to collect makeup. Just like CD collectors who enjoys listening to music.

Makeup is a form of art... so run wild with your creativity and imagination!

Tell me why YOU wear makeup!