Awhile back I watched a NikkieTutorial video titled “The Power Of Makeup“. She did a makeup transformation on half of her face and left the other half bare. She demonstrated the power makeup has and the rules that don’t exist with makeup. When I saw this video back in May, I immediately felt inspired and wanted to try out this half-face-transformation. But life took over and I never made the time. Well, a couple weeks ago My Pale Skin posted a short film titled “You Look Disgusting,” and if you haven’t been living under a rock, I’m sure you’ve heard of it. Seeing this video made me realize how big of an issue makeup shaming is. Not even makeup shaming, but self love.
I have tried to always make it clear to ya’ll that loving yourself the way you are, with or without makeup, is most important. While those are really important to me, I don’t feel I’ve elaborated on this topic enough. Makeup shaming, I will admit it sounds silly, but think about it. How many times have you heard a guy say he wants a “naturally beautiful” girl but uses photoshopped and made-over women as an example? Those women are beautiful, breathtaking even, but those looks are unreachable.
Comments about a woman’s makeup are constantly thrown at us, and it’s not just guys either, its girls as well. We hear: “This is why I have trust issues,” “This is why you should take her swimming on the first date,” “False advertising,” or “Imagine waking up to that the next morning.” Let’s not forget about the girls who shame other girls: “A lot of other girls wear tons of makeup, but not me! I’m different,” “Cake face,” “Betty Crocker,” “Ommpa loompa,” the “don’t judge me” challenge that was circling for a week around all social media outlets. These comments are spewed on social media without any thought of the pain they cause. Remember saying these hate-filled comments paints a better picture of who you are as a person than they do about the women not meeting your makeup standards.
Women and men are making careers and full time jobs on makeup videos alone. Countless tutorials and transformations are posted daily, just to show the power of makeup. People still think females do this because guys like it, or we’re insecure, or we hate ourselves. You think I really spend fifty dollars on an eye shadow palette and then spend an hour applying my makeup just so a guy can notice? He doesn’t even know the difference between ‘buzzed’ and ‘chopper.’ Not only that but whatever my reasons are for applying makeup, it is my face, not yours, so why do you feel the need to comment on it? This goes for anyone and their outward appearances. What do you gain from tweeting or saying malicious comments about someone? If a female is applying makeup because she’s insecure, why must people feel the need to make her feel even worse? I mean a girl with acne may have seen the “don’t judge me” challenge and saw other girls put fake zits on their face and then magically wipe it off and now they’re beautiful, without their fake acne. How I or anyone does their makeup literally has no effect on you whatsoever.
If wearing foundation, contouring, filing in my eyebrows, etc, makes me happy and makes me feel good about myself, then I’m going to do it. If wearing no makeup makes me happy, I am going to not wear makeup. If wearing makeup to the gym, or to the beach, pool, dentist, a doctor appointment, makes me happy and comfortable, then I am going to wear makeup. I shouldn’t feel shamed for making myself happy. You shouldn’t shame someone because makeup makes them happy. We’ve got to stop condescending people simply because someone else’s idea of happiness doesn’t match our own.
As long as someone is happy our opinions don’t matter. Makeup is fun, it’s art, a tool of expression, and a way to make people feel better about themselves. Don’t try to take those things away from someone.
In the picture above I’ve done half of my face in makeup that makes me feel the most beautiful. I applied my foundation to even out my skin tone. Concealed blemishes, dark circles, and the redness around my nose. I filled in and sculpted my eye brows because look at my natural brows, they need help. I applied my eye shadow in a way that makes my eyes look bigger and more awake. I did dramatic winged liner because it makes me feel fierce. I put mascara on because I love bold lashes. I contoured my cheek, temple, side of my nose, and jawline to give my face dimension. I highlighted under my eyes, cheek bones, cupids bow, bridge of the nose, and forehead all to brighten up my face. Lastly, I finished with my favorite bold liquid matte lipstick that I over-lined to make my lips appear fuller. To some, this seems excessive. To others, it may not be enough. To me, I feel beautiful, flawless, amazing, and confident.
In the picture above I haven’t done a thing to my face. Completely bare skinned. To some it seems crazy that I’d leave my house looking such a way. To others it may be plenty. To me I feel beautiful, flawless, amazing, and confident.
The point of this post and this makeup challenge is to fight makeup shaming. I wanted to show you that I’m still beautiful regardless of your thoughts and feelings about me. I hope that ya’ll learned something and please just think before you speak, because you never know who could be around to hear your negative comments.
xo- Heidi
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