Why Do You Wear Makeup?

[aelle]

Originally Posted by momo3bur

I've just wanted to say this through the entire discussion, so now is the time. I know a guy who wears makeup everyday. He keeps foundation and cover-up and bronzing powder. He is actually a very masculine guy, too.

So do I! Hadn't thought of it in a while. He started when he was a teen on Roaccutane and had to wear sunscreen round the clock, he played around with tinted products. When he got off the meds he kept up with the habit

[momo3bur]

Originally Posted by aelle

So do I! Hadn't thought of it in a while. He started when he was a teen on Roaccutane and had to wear sunscreen round the clock, he played around with tinted products. When he got off the meds he kept up with the habit

I'd bet money way more guys would wear makeup if they learned how to do it naturally and just saw how they looked. I think they'd so, NO WAY...and then secretly apply coverup over zits when they pop up.

Oh it's so funny because we are NOT allowed to tell him we know. I had no idea before, but now that I know I can tell if I look at him long enough. I've noticed at times his freckles seem to fade quite a bit. Hey, I have to give it to him, though; he is better at choosing a foundation color than a lot of ladies I know!

[James81]

Originally Posted by cassiopeia

That's what I love about makeup! Feeling that I look good enhances my inner confidence, which affects my outward appearance more than the makeup in itself. Same as when you're wearing something really nice - the way you carry yourself just changes.

This is what I find most interesting.

It's interesting because a lot of women view makeup as something additional that helps enhance features about themselves. So, by applying the makeup, it enhances your inner confidence because it makes you feel good.

The reason I find that interesting is because I, as a guy, agree that when you feel you look good, you do carry yourself differently. But the funny part is that I have never once wore makeup to make myself look good. But there have been times when I have definitely looked good and felt that same confidence that you undoubtedly feel after you apply makeup.

In other words, I'm accessing the same feeling (confidence and comfort) without the use of makeup.

I mention that because we use things like that (i.e. makeup, clothes) to determine those feelings we access (such as confidence) without realizing that we don't NEED those things (i.e. makeup, clothes) to access those feelings. We can access those feelings RIGHT NOW, in whatever state we find ourselves in, and in accessing those feelings we project a beauty that comes from within that is unmatched by any external tweaking we do.

The fact that we feel better when we do a certain thing (i.e. dress nice or wear makeup) is a product of our culture, specifically the marketing aspect. You've been sold on the idea that you NEED makeup to feel beautiful and confidence and because of that, you are filling some fat rich ♥♥♥♥'s pockets with cash.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by James81

The fact that we feel better when we do a certain thing (i.e. dress nice or wear makeup) is a product of our culture, specifically the marketing aspect. You've been sold on the idea that you NEED makeup to feel beautiful and confidence and because of that, you are filling some fat rich ♥♥♥♥'s pockets with cash.

This was what I was saying earlier. There's nothing wrong with it as such, as long as you know why you feel better when you apply these things and can trace it back to the conditioning, so you then can understand why you do it.

Of course, you don't have to do this, but I think as a consumer it's good to know what sort of marketing strategies are in place that will cause people to make someone else rich based on a concept that has, effectively been implanted in them.

Yes, women have always adorned themselves, and made themselves decorative...and there is a reason why people will mention that someones home has "that woman's touch". We like decorating our environment and ourselves. There's nothing wrong with it, but if you are wearing make up because you feel you HAVE to and that you are somehow not perfect as you are, and hideous without it, then it's probably something that is worth looking at.

For me, I always felt like the advertising campaigns were sending the underlying message that our flaws are not ok, that we have to cover over them to be acceptable, perfect, and that essentially we are not ok as we are...which I object to. I think it's wise to embrace our imperfections.

[OptimistPrime]

James: So you're saying people don't need external objects to effect internal changes? What a minute, what's that DVD behind your back? Is that a copy of Dumbo!?

[Mariana Trench]

Originally Posted by elucidate

For me, I always felt like the advertising campaigns were sending the underlying message that our flaws are not ok, that we have to cover over them to be acceptable, perfect, and that essentially we are not ok as we are...which I object to. I think it's wise to embrace our imperfections.

Absolutely. Beyond that even, what's a flaw? Some people see freckles as flaws, I think they can be adorable.

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by Mariana Trench

Absolutely. Beyond that even, what's a flaw? Some people see freckles as flaws, I think they can be adorable.

Sometimes they are adorable.

Sometimes they are not.

lol I was going to post up a couple comparison pics, but I remember what happened the last time I did that.

[Mariana Trench]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

lol I was going to post up a couple comparison pics, but I remember what happened the last time I did that.

Which kinda tells you something, doesn't it?

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by Mariana Trench

Absolutely. Beyond that even, what's a flaw? Some people see freckles as flaws, I think they can be adorable.

I think I mentioned it before, but I know a woman who ONLY likes women who are obese and who have acne scars and pock marks from picked pimples. What is a flaw to one person is a turn on to someone else.

I love freckles too.

[ZephyrusX]

RE: Picture comparisons

What exactly do you remember last time? What I remember seeing is different people preferring different pictures, and in doing so, eradicating any false claim to objectivity as it relates to 'flaws' and attractiveness.

Originally Posted by russianrocket

Sometimes they are adorable.

Sometimes they are not.

lol I was going to post up a couple comparison pics, but I remember what happened the last time I did that.

[votoshka]

I hate freckles!!!! But that's probably because I've spent the past 20+ years trying to get rid of them .

(The upside of this is that I've spent all my adult years wearing sunscreen in the misguided belief that sun = freckles, and sunscreen = freckles fade away like a tan during winter... didn't work, but I DO have quite youthful skin as a result lol).

But yeah, the truth is that what is beautiful to one person isn't attractive to another and we all have different tastes! Kind of a good thing really .

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by votoshka

I hate freckles!!!! But that's probably because I've spent the past 20+ years trying to get rid of them .

(The upside of this is that I've spent all my adult years wearing sunscreen in the misguided belief that sun = freckles, and sunscreen = freckles fade away like a tan during winter... didn't work, but I DO have quite youthful skin as a result lol).

But yeah, the truth is that what is beautiful to one person isn't attractive to another and we all have different tastes! Kind of a good thing really .

Lemon juice is supposedly good to cause freckles to fade...I read that somewhere, don't know how true it is?

[Criseyde]

Originally Posted by aelle

So do I! Hadn't thought of it in a while. He started when he was a teen on Roaccutane and had to wear sunscreen round the clock, he played around with tinted products. When he got off the meds he kept up with the habit

This is my story too. I never wore sunscreen, then I moved to North Carolina and started using a skin product that increased my sensitivity to the sun. Between the product and strong sun there, within a year, I had little sun marks around my eyes. They look like freckles, but they're raised -- definitely sun damage. I started using mineral foundation in order to prevent that (and further damage), since chemical sunscreens break me out. I don't even consider it makeup, just sunscreen. It matches my skin tone perfectly and doesn't change my appearance.

[votoshka]

Originally Posted by elucidate

Lemon juice is supposedly good to cause freckles to fade...I read that somewhere, don't know how true it is?

I have tried it, but I don't think there was much change, although my skin did dry out somewhat! I guess it's the sort of thing you've really got to persist with.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by votoshka

I have tried it, but I don't think there was much change, although my skin did dry out somewhat! I guess it's the sort of thing you've really got to persist with.

I think it is. You need to apply it every day for a year or something...but that would probably dry your skin right out unless you made sure you moisturized after the lemon juice dried?

[Criseyde]

Originally Posted by votoshka

I have tried it, but I don't think there was much change, although my skin did dry out somewhat! I guess it's the sort of thing you've really got to persist with.

I think lemon juice is likely to make your freckles darker unless you make sure to wear a good sunscreen, since it's photosensitizing.

Hydroxy acids are good for fading hyperpigmentation spots, but I don't think a freckle counts as such.

[momo3bur]

I think freckles are cute, Votoshka. I bet they're adorable on you! However, if you don't like them that's what counts. I've never heard of anyone actually finding anything that really fades their freckles, at least not OTC. You might try to talk to a dermatologist or a cosmotologist if they bother you enough to do so.

My mother did find a cream that substsantially faded her age spots. I'll find out what that was and let you know just in case it helps with freckles. It's so funny because I ought to be able to tell you if helps with freckles because my mother has a ton...just not on her face! LOL. So I have no way to say. I'll ask her though.

[cassiopeia]

Originally Posted by James81

This is what I find most interesting.

It's interesting because a lot of women view makeup as something additional that helps enhance features about themselves. So, by applying the makeup, it enhances your inner confidence because it makes you feel good.

The reason I find that interesting is because I, as a guy, agree that when you feel you look good, you do carry yourself differently. But the funny part is that I have never once wore makeup to make myself look good. But there have been times when I have definitely looked good and felt that same confidence that you undoubtedly feel after you apply makeup.

In other words, I'm accessing the same feeling (confidence and comfort) without the use of makeup.

I mention that because we use things like that (i.e. makeup, clothes) to determine those feelings we access (such as confidence) without realizing that we don't NEED those things (i.e. makeup, clothes) to access those feelings. We can access those feelings RIGHT NOW, in whatever state we find ourselves in, and in accessing those feelings we project a beauty that comes from within that is unmatched by any external tweaking we do.

The fact that we feel better when we do a certain thing (i.e. dress nice or wear makeup) is a product of our culture, specifically the marketing aspect. You've been sold on the idea that you NEED makeup to feel beautiful and confidence and because of that, you are filling some fat rich ♥♥♥♥'s pockets with cash.

Well, I could go out wearing wrinkled, unflattering clothes, no makeup and messy hair (although I have dreadlocks so my hair is always the same!) and with some mental effort I could convince myself that I feel sexy... But I wouldn't want to go to all that effort, when I can just put on some figure-hugging jeans and a cute top, and a dash of eye makeup and feel the same way. It would definitely take less time (ca 5 minutes).

I think it's useful to use clothes, accessories and makeup as anchors to a certain state. Sometimes I enjoy dressing in an old, torn hoodie and baggy jeans and wear no makeup because those clothes give me a feeling of comfort and care-freeness.

[Razia]

I agree it not good for skin but then to i do some makeup ocassionally after im girl and can't avoid it.