Why Do You Wear Makeup?

[trevorturtle]

You are beautiful. You don't need to put makeup on to look good.

• Girls who don't wear makeup appear more confident
• Makeup is bad for your skin
• Makeup is a terrible investment, both time and money

What are you hiding from? Why are you afraid to show your true self?

Spend your time and money beautifying yourself from the inside-out. Not the outside-out.

For the full article, check out Why Do You Wear Makeup?


Please note that I only pose the question so that you may ask yourself. Sometimes we forget to question what we do and just do what every else does.

[sarahsjourney]

Because I can? Because I want to? Because it's my choice, and my choice alone whether I want to wear make-up or not? Why should I have to justify that to anyone, why should I have to justify that to you?

I think its disgusting the way you're attacking women for their personal choices...

[trevorturtle]

You're right, you don't have to justify it to me or anyone else. I understand some women like the artistic aspects of decorating themselves.

I only wish that you question yourself, instead of just doing it because everyone else is doing it. I'll edit that to make it more clear. Thanks for pointing that out.

[Dimitri]

I actually asked that question to someone and they said "Because women are more insecure."

And yet, more men suicide every year...

Hmmm.

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by sarahsjourney

Because I can? Because I want to? Because it's my choice, and my choice alone whether I want to wear make-up or not? Why should I have to justify that to anyone, why should I have to justify that to you?

I think its disgusting the way you're attacking women for their personal choices...

lol why don't you learn how to take things less personally? He isn't attacking you, or any woman for that matter. Your insecurity is what is allowing you to feel attacked. Don't blame him or anyone else for that.

Guess what? It's his choice to make this post. It's his choice to post something that might be viewed as attacking anyone's personal choices. Why are you allowed choices, and allowed to attack someone, but he's not?

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by Dimitri

I actually asked that question to someone and they said "Because women are more insecure."

And yet, more men suicide every year...

Hmmm.

They are open with their insecurity.

"Women process their experiences with friends. They discuss their feelings, seek feedback and take advice," Murphy says. "They are much more likely to tell a physician how they feel and cooperate in the prescribed treatment. As a result, women get better treatment for their depression."

Also, women attempt suicide 2 times as often as men.

[Dimitri]

Trevor, when you link to the "Leverage" article in your make-up post, you are posting the wrong permalink.

Wrong permalink: use-leverage-accomplish-goal
Correct permalink: using-leverage-accomplish-goal

[Dimond]

Never assume you know why someone is doing something. Just because someone wears makeup, doesn't mean that they don't believe they look good nor is it necessarily about anyone else wearing it. Men have no real say in whether it's right or wrong or the reasons why since they aren't women. You can compliment the females you know and maybe influence them, but they'll do whatever they want.

I have very good reasons for wearing it. I'd prefer not to because I love the natural look (on others), but it works for me (due to lack of skin color, etc.). I also use natural products which are actually good for my skin and I don't wear a lot. To borrow a quote, "Having makeup on doesn’t make me someone else, it actually helps for others to see who I am on the inside." I've proven this many times.

[aelle]

Not every appearance decision is fear-motivated.

I hardly ever wear makeup. When I do, it's:
- to conform to a social expectation - for job interviews or important client meetings, I wear makeup the same way I wear a suit. It sends across the right message and gets the job done. It's not about looking ♥♥♥♥able (?!?!) any more than business wear or lack of body odor is.

- to enhance a public performance - stage makeup really does make a difference to your audience.

- to look good on pictures - I am very blonde and without mascara and eye shadow I look very washed out on pictures.

- just for the fun of it! It is a lot of fun to dress up and make yourself look different every once in a while, or every day. The process is also an act of pampering and self-love, like many other cosmetic and grooming rituals. And finally, like many appearance choices made by women, it is about looking good for ourselves, not for you. We have our own agenda beyond what turns on men, you know. The fact that you think I am more attractive without make-up is irrelevant - I do not exist to be your eye candy.

There is so much emotionally-charged and guilt-tripping rhetoric on either side of the makeup issue (yeah, what you are doing is guilt-tripping) that I can assure you not many women out there have never considered the reasons and implications of their choice. Assuming that they just never thought about it and have been waiting for you to enlighten them all is quite infantilizing.

[ssandra]

I don't buy it.

Most women look better with make up... when applied correctly and not over done.

[aelle]

Out of curiosity, what do you think of women who keeps their legs and/or armpits in their natural state? Do you think shaving one's armpits is equally unattractive, superficial, fear-based and a waste of time and money than putting on mascara?

[elucidate]

I apply it for fun now and then, but mostly I don't wear it...for the reasons you gave in your OP. I perceive it to be the same as wearing a mask and hiding my true self from the world, and I don't have anything to hide.

That might not be the real reason most women wear make-up, but that's my perception of why they do, so I choose not to...and because it feels crappy after a while, can't rub my eyes without crap going everywhere..and my consciousness tends to concentrate on what I look like too much so it makes it harder to relax and just have a good time wherever I am.n I can't just jump in a pool or the beach if I happen to end up at someones house or the beach...have to always worry about it running everywhere.

I know it's a choice, and I've heard all the reasons women say they do, but I can't pretend my perception of why they do it isn't what it is.

That's not to say that correctly applied make-up can't look great on some women, but so many look so fake the amount they apply and they don't blend it in so you can see the line.

[russianrocket]

The silliest thing, is when I see women with fully caked on faces, at the gym. How does that even make a smidgen of sense?

On that note, I never knew that smidgen was an actual word, till I just tried to use it, and spellcheck didn't correct me

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by aelle

Out of curiosity, what do you think of women who keeps their legs and/or armpits in their natural state? Do you think shaving one's armpits is equally unattractive, superficial, fear-based and a waste of time and money than putting on mascara?

I've always considered removing or changing any part of your body, non surgically and by not adding something fake, as not superficial. Just like going out in the sun. You are playing around with different variations of the natural state of the human body, instead of augmenting it with outside bits and pieces. A nice suit, doesn't change the true person like a face full of makeup. Tho, now, you do have miracle bras, and but lifting/padded panties.

[FelineNostalgia]

Firstly I'd like to say that most women look beautiful without make up, but being glamorous is different , its decorating yourself. When I was a teenager I became into alternative scenes and music and yes I know shallow attitudes tend to govern this as well but it can be a form of expression, how I was feeling, playing with different characters, I used to draw leaves on my face because I loved faeries. Sometimes when I feel romantic I wear red lipstick and just a little mascara, or if I'm feeling kinky I wear a lot of eye-shadow and lipstick . And with all these clothes and stuff, I don't bother showing my 'true self' through appearance, my true self is a permanent state, my appearance is not.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by ssandra

I don't buy it.

Most women look better with make up... when applied correctly and not over done.

Just to point out that some of these photos do not illustrate the advantages of make-up. Instead they illustrate the importance of proper lighting conditions for photography. Also they illustrate the difference that a big smile makes.

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Just to point out that some of these photos do not illustrate the advantages of make-up. Instead they illustrate the importance of proper lighting conditions for photography. Also they illustrate the difference that a big smile makes.

It also points out the true faces of the women that so many young girls look up to as examples of beauty... Thanks to makeup.

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Just to point out that some of these photos do not illustrate the advantages of make-up. Instead they illustrate the importance of proper lighting conditions for photography. Also they illustrate the difference that a big smile makes.

I agree. Lots of things make a difference.

I just do think it is naive to say that women look better without make up.

Make up plasted all over your face, I personally doesn't think it looks great. But some natural looking make up, makes most (if not all) women look better. And there is nothing wrong with that.

People who cannot see beyond the outside to judge people on the inside won't do that because of make up or the lack of it.

I can wear make up or not, and still be the same person on the inside. Nothing will change that.
If I want to look prettier while being myself... who is to say that that is wrong?

[Criseyde]

I'm not here to decorate your world.

[FelineNostalgia]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

It also points out the true faces of the women that so many young girls look up to as examples of beauty... Thanks to makeup.

So are you maybe saying that make up feeds unrealistic ideals of how we should look?

The way the whole area is approached is pretty unhealthy, it seems to give a lot of women complexes. That's probably the only problem I would have with it. But then I would question the principals of the persons self worth rather than the make up or how they feel they should look.

[aelle]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

I've always considered removing or changing any part of your body, non surgically and by not adding something fake, as not superficial. Just like going out in the sun. You are playing around with different variations of the natural state of the human body, instead of augmenting it with outside bits and pieces. A nice suit, doesn't change the true person like a face full of makeup. Tho, now, you do have miracle bras, and but lifting/padded panties.

I fail to see the logic. You need artificial tools to shave your pits, cut your hair or curl your eyelashes. For you, are mechanically curled lashes on the same level of superficiality as groomed hair?

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by aelle

I fail to see the logic. You need artificial tools to shave your pits, cut your hair or curl your eyelashes. For you, are mechanically curled lashes on the same level of superficiality as groomed hair?

Eh, it's pushing it, but no, I'd say it's the same as getting a hair cut. Now, get that stupid eye lash drug, or add on huge fake eye lashes, and we are back to my original point of adding non human things to your body to change the appearance of yourself. If you got a hair cut, or shaved your legs or pits, no one is going to think " omg, I can't believe she was born with no hair. that's amazing". There is nothing wrong with tools. Tools got us to where we are in this point. I fail to see your comparison of using tools, to makeup. Cake on makeup, and you drastically change the person you are. It's really no different then putting on a mask. And depending on the person, almost as thick... I had an ex like that, as well as an ex best friend. No one was ever honest with her to let her know that covering her large freckle, or the other girl putting too much foundation on her eye brows, looks horrible. They both caked it on. Makeup girls never let you touch their faces. That really peeves me, cause I love touching faces.

The thing is, that a lot of women don't just do it to look pretty. They do it to change how their perceived by the outside world, at all times.

The ones that like playing dress up, etc, will actually go out bare faced. People can know them with and without makeup. Then you have the majority, which never show their true face to anyone except family. Anytime anyone will see them, they have makeup, because the world tells them they aren't attractive enough without makeup. Sure, women can and do look better with makeup. But that goes for plastic surgery too. I suppose, the only difference is the permanence. But the end result is the same, and now we have surgery on par with makeup and tattoos. Just something for people to express their true selfs

I normally wouldn't post in this thread, but recently saw a commercial for cover up makeup. I can't find the video, but found a link to show the transformation.

Lady Gaga's Zombie Boy Ricky Genest with NO tattoos: Model covers up for DermaBlend | Mail Online

What amazed me, was seeing how many comments said that Ricky Genest was being his true self, and had guts to get all those tattoos. While in my mind, it is the furthest you can be, from being yourself.

[aelle]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

Now, get that stupid eye lash drug, ... and we are back to my original point of adding non human things to your body to change the appearance of yourself.

That eyelash drug is called mascara. And my point is that with a well chosen mascara (ie matching your skin tone) you will look exactly the same as if you used an eyelash curler, or if you had been born with naturally lush lashes (lush lashes is fun to say!)
In a similar way, a mild bleach will make your hair lighten up in the exact same way sitting in the sun will (they call it sunkissed hair). Why is one drastic and non superficial, while the other is fake?

[russianrocket]

Originally Posted by aelle

That eyelash drug is called mascara. And my point is that with a well chosen mascara (ie matching your skin tone) you will look exactly the same as if you used an eyelash curler, or if you had been born with naturally lush lashes (lush lashes is fun to say!)
In a similar way, a mild bleach will make your hair lighten up in the exact same way sitting in the sun will (they call it sunkissed hair). Why is one drastic and non superficial, while the other is fake?

Umm, no, the eye lash DRUG (Latisse) is not called mascara. Why would I call makeup, a drug?

Also, being a guy, I might not know much, but why would black mascara, need match skin tone?

As far as sun kissed hair. Do you know why/how the sun bleaches hair?

By the way, way to go picking the one of the few examples of something that occurs naturally, yet can also be done artificially. You also forgot to mention spray on tan.

[ChrisGinsburg]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

That really peeves me, cause I love touching faces.

It seems we found the heart of your frustration. And it's also creepy sounding to boot!

[ssandra]

I wear make up (at times) and I let people touch my face.

There is a big difference between wearing make up and caking it on.

Plastering yourself isn't my favorite way of using make up, and I think it is often counter productive. However, that is not the only way to use make up.

I use mascara, sometimes lipstick and eyeshadow. That is completely different from spreading stuff all over your face.

And you know what... even if people like spreading stuff all over their face.. who are we to say why they do that?

I believe that as long as you don't rather burn to death because you have to put on make up before you flee the house, it is perfectly fine to use as much or as little make up as you want.

[ZephyrusX]

I don't wear makeup; it bores me. I do, however, know women who find it interesting. One women uses it as a form of drag, basically. She is deliberately over exaggerating her femininity through makeup and dress for political reasons sometimes (she once had a rather humorous conversation with Steven Harper - our prime minister). I suspect she mainly does it because it is fun though.

I don't think you can really make generalizations as to why people wear makeup. You might have an interesting discussion if you focus on the individual reasons why people wear makeup and you might be able to draw out themes and patterns through those discussions. But lets try to respect people as human beings who make autonomous decisions.

[aelle]

Originally Posted by russianrocket

Umm, no, the eye lash DRUG (Latisse) is not called mascara. Why would I call makeup, a drug?

Ah, sorry, I thought you were being hyperbolic.

Originally Posted by russianrocket

Also, being a guy, I might not know much, but why would black mascara, need match skin tone?

To look natural, precisely. I'm a fair-skinned blonde, my skin goes pink with the sun. On me, black mascara looks fake, and hot (=reddish) brown looks weird, slightly sick. If I wear a cold (=blueish) brown, my lashes simply look thicker but not artificially so.
My sister is a fair-skinned strawberry blonde with a skin that turns golden with the sun. Hot browns are what look natural on her, cold browns look dull (like the skin of a smoker). Of course that's assuming that we want to choose makeup that looks natural. Someone who wears blue or silver mascara knows that it's going to pop and look deliberately artificial.

Originally Posted by russianrocket

As far as sun kissed hair. Do you know why/how the sun bleaches hair?

Melanin in inert tissues broken down under UV radiation, I suppose?

Originally Posted by russianrocket

By the way, way to go picking the one of the few examples of something that occurs naturally, yet can also be done artificially. You also forgot to mention spray on tan.

Well, that's the point though: if there are things that can occur naturally or be induced artificially and you can't tell them apart, how can one look shallow and not the other? It seems that you are basing your opinion of body mods on cases where the end result looks very artificial, whether deliberate or not, and excluding the many cases where it looks natural.

[ButterflyWoman]

As for looking "better" without makeup, I happen to have very pale skin and dark circles under my eyes. No matter how much I sleep, I have dark circles, though they get worse if I'm particularly tired or sick (at times I've looked like someone punched me out!). The only fix for that is makeup. (I've tried various other "remedies", from supplements to moisturisers to various other topical applications, and nothing does much in the way of improving it.)

The thing with me is, I don't really care much about stuff like surface appearances. I don't actually care if I walk around with pale skin and dark circles under my eyes. I don't wear makeup regularly, and therefore I look like a tired, pale, uninteresting mum and housewife, which is what I am (well, I like to think I'm interesting, but I don't care if random people look at me and assume I'm not; the opinions of strangers is unimportant to me).

I do wear makeup as a "dress up accessory", meaning, if I'm dressing up for some occasion, I put on makeup as a final touch, not unlike perfume (which I actually wear much more frequently because I happen to enjoy wearing perfume) or special jewellery, etc. It's part of the overall look, part of the costume. On a daily basis, though, I can't be bothered with makeup. And since I don't often have occasions where I'm dressing up, I end up wearing makeup infrequently at best.

The only time in recent memory that I've worn makeup regularly was when I had my head shaved (I did it for a charity event). I wasn't bothered by walking around with a super short buzz, but with my very pale skin and dark circles under my eyes, the combination gave the impression that I was undergoing chemotherapy, and I didn't want that. So I wore makeup and flashy earrings and rocked that look until my hair grew back.

[momo3bur]

I don't wear makeup very often anymore, but I when I do wear it it is usually because it makes me feel more decorated when I'm out. I enjoy the colors and finding ways to highlight facial features that I do like about myself.

I used to wear makeup because I felt naked and insecure without it, although I never really wore much at all. I'm not sure exactly when I grew out of that, but I suspect it had something to do with age. Now I MAY wear makeup once every couple of weeks when I go do something that requires dressing up (or that I want to dress up for). I feel like if I'm going to take the time to dress with glam, then I might as well glitter up my face, too.

I have a friend who is very blonde and without mascara her eyelashes are invisible. She is very beautiful without makeup, but I understand why she'd want to wear the mascara to make her eyelashes darker so that her big, denim blue eyes really stand out.

Also, I have to say I've heard so many men ask this question. I've also heard them ask the same thing about nice clothes, trendy hair, etc. However, I've seen a trend (at least among the men I know personally) with these same men, being that when they tend to point out females they find attractive, they are usually in nice clothes, nice trendy haircut, with light makeup on. LOL. I find that really funny, actually. I've noticed it more than once even from my husband.