Sad as it may seem, we live in a society where we uphold cultural standards that expect women to embody an unrealistic or unattainable standard of beauty. So forgive our eye rolls every time we’re told by people to go au naturale after wearing makeup, but then criticized for looking average, and sometimes even ugly, without it. It’s as if the people around feel something along the lines of betrayed when they then see women without full on makeup. I mean, it’s hard enough already for some to go out bare-faced without the confidence makeup brings, so since when did comments “this is why I have trust issues” and the like even became acceptable either online or in person?
Illustration by Benildean Press Corps
Thousands of years ago, when Egyptians created the first cosmetics as an integral part of their hygiene and health, Egyptian women also used it to look their best to please and impress the gods. Although makeup was still not excessively popular at that time, it went on in the 1900s to being associated with wealth, to its influence reaching ballet and theater stars, until it actually became a norm/requirement to wear in the workplace because apparently according to some studies, women wearing makeup appear more professional, presentable, and competent. With all the buzz surrounding women and our need to wear makeup, not only does it take away our freedom to choose how we want to present ourselves, but it also emphasizes how much importance is put on beauty and physical appearance in order to win approval from others. To make things even more confusing, when we finally embrace the expectation of wearing makeup to be beautiful, we’re now told that being more natural and having no makeup on is better.
When we finally embrace the expectation of wearing makeup to be beautiful, we’re now told that being more natural and having no makeup on is better.
There are two types of women: the ones who take time to put on makeup before leaving the house, and the ones who go straight out the door because they either never or rarely wear it. Personally, I fall into the second category; mainly because one, I have a habit of touching my face, which to my frustration smudges my attempts at makeup, and two, I grew up in a family who are also clueless about makeup. I think even Youtube gave up on me when I did try to watch tutorials.
There are two types of women: the ones who take time to put on makeup before leaving the house, and the ones who go straight out the door because they either never or rarely wear it.
Despite all that, with the few times I did get to put on makeup by myself or by another person, I felt and realized that it was such a self-esteem booster—it goes more than skin deep, which most people fail to understand. To be specific, a study from The Renfrew Center Foundation said that 48 percent of the women surveyed “wear makeup because they like the way they look with it,” and 32 percent went as far to say that it “makes them feel good”, thus suggesting that makeup does indeed have a noticeable connection to mental health and body image. It’s similar to how working out in the gym makes men feel good about themselves.
Makeup does indeed have a noticeable connection to mental health and body image.
In an interview by the observer.com with YouTuber and beauty blogger Em Ford regarding her viral video “You Look Disgusting,” Ford shared that “makeup can not only make a difference physically, but mentally too. There’s such a stigma in showing your natural face and revealing any imperfections—especially online—but there shouldn’t be.” Her statement just goes to show that we’re beautiful with makeup, and we’re still beautiful without it. Don’t get me wrong—when I have makeup on, I do feel good, as it gives me that extra confidence boost which everyone needs once in awhile. But I don’t feel ugly without it either—and that’s because even if makeup is a powerful tool, the people behind it are still the true source of power.
