Why we wear it...

[pugmommy7]

I think of this question often being the makeup lover(esp MAC of course

) that I am and raising two girls who I want to be strong conscious individuals.
I always stress that "Mommy wears makeup because she likes it and it is fun,not to be "pretty",because that is not what makes one pretty". they love to wear thier play makeup on thier legs and do body painting and tattoos. I use words like "creative" and "interesting" and try to stay away from "pretty".

I love makeup for ME,even if I never leave the house.
of course we all love to recieve compliments,but ultimately i enjoy the act of application(being an aritsist anyway) and of course the finished product. <and verstitility of the product..hence MAC.>
That is the first thing I noticed when I became a MAC consumer. There were no rules when I visited the counter. I would get tons of helpful suggestions,but if I wanted to use a lipliner on my eyes or vise versa, the mua was like "go for it"
anyway, I would love to read your take

 

[MAChostage]

I laud you in your decision to de-stress the "makeup makes you pretty" aspect to your little ladies. I also wear my makeup for ME. I have also been very careful with my daughter, who is 18, in this respect. It's important to know that there are way more important things that your pretty factor can hinge upon (like the type of person you are and how you treat others). Compliments from others while wearing makeup are a nice aside, but are far from being everything that matters.

 

[calbear]

I've always looked at makeup the same way I look at my tattoos/piercings - additional decoration for an already fabulous body ;-)

 

[liquidsirenhoney]

I wear Make-Up for me i like to decorate myself...but then again i always had piercings tats and crazy colored hair, i've never really let people around me affect how my outer shell is. I don't even think make-up makes me pretty it just expresses another aspect of my personality and hopefully my creativity...

 

[SMMY]

I think makeup is something you hopefully do for yourself as well. It should evolve out of how you see yourself and not how you wish others to see you. I like to think of it as another creative way of self-expression as liquidsirenhoney put it so well. MAC suits my need for this and so I am a loyal customer. Pugmommy7-I think it's wonderful that you are teaching your daughters that beauty should always come from within first. If more emphasis was placed on this in our western culture there would be far fewer unhappy young women trying to attain some impossible, ever shifting goals of perfection through plastic surgery and eating disorders.

 

[Raerae]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMMY ever shifting goals of perfection through plastic surgery and eating disorders.

Nothing wrong with plastic surgery. It's like makeup, if it helps you feel more self sifident about yourself, and more attractive, whatever, why not? You dont exactly see people making themselves look ugly on these boards. Creativity aside as I enjoy that aspect of MU as well, in the end it's done because we prefer our appearance with MU on, to our appearance w/out. And if getting surgery makes you no longer feel selconchious about an aspect of your body, I say go for it. if it makes you happy, it can't be that bad.

As far as eating disorders, why are they only considered bad when people choose not to eat. I'd say a signifigantly larger portion of the population has an OVEReating disorder. I get called Twig at my office because i'm thin in an office of fatasses. And large men/women are constantly pestering me about why i need to eat more.

If one of them is going out to lunch, and asks me if I'd like them to bring me back something, and I decline because i dont want to spend the money, they INSIST on paying for me. I kid you not, I've had several free lunches because signifigantly obese women think I need to eat more.

 

[BlahWah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMMY I think makeup is something you hopefully do for yourself as well. It should evolve out of how you see yourself and not how you wish others to see you. I like to think of it as another creative way of self-expression as liquidsirenhoney put it so well. MAC suits my need for this and so I am a loyal customer.

My husband asks do I always need to put on makeup, and some people ask me if I'd freak without it on and I'm glad I can honestly say no (though of course I'd rather have it on!). The sense of accomplishment in seeing a finished product, furthering a skill and being creative are reasons why I love makeup and the applying of it. I find it similar to painting but with my face as a canvas. Also, if I'm getting ready in the morning, why not use some of that time towards something which helps me look better, something I can continuously improve on, and something that gets my brain working to start the day?

 

[joytheobscure]

I think its great what you are teaching your daughter. I don't know I don't talk about makeup with mine (that was a nice wakeup call) , she gets my leftovers and products I don't like now that she's ten and likes playing makeup. I do admit that I've told her I'm wearing it to make myself look better. My big deal with her is not to stress on appearance and she'd better be nice to everyone in her class--I let her dress herself but I buy all her clothes and right now my big issue is finding her clothes (esp tshirts) that don't have "sexy" or rude sayings on them... I know that my daughters friend is now worried that her clothes not come from walmart.... I dread this peerpressure age.

She has asked "when can I pierce my ears" , "How old do I have to be to wear makeup?" "when can I go out" - of course those answers are NEVER--lol.. well I told her makeup at 9th grade, I'm not going to encourage her dress or anything to be sexy at such a young age. But I want her to be herself and be able to wear colors - but coordinate them. I don't want to start the mess with coloring hair (she wants her hair colored...) I have a sister in law who has a beautiful daughter and she really encourages her to dress sexy, have boyfriends and colored her hair at 8 - makeup at 7 or 8 - it just sickens me. Shes a fifth or sixth grader now. I just can't believe that she allows it...

 

[shriekingviolet]

I wear makeup because it's a form of artistic expression. I can't draw, paint, or sculpt (at least not well), and makeup is my form of daily color therapy. It's a fun medium to work with, something that's mutable and impermanent (not that there's anything wrong with more lasting forms of decoration, I just couldn't commit myself to anything I couldn't be easily rid of when I got tired of it). I can remake myself every day in accordance to my moods. Sure there are some cosmetics products I wear to make myself look better (i.e. foundation and mascara), but on the whole, makeup is a creative endeavor for me.

I always get a little annoyed when people (usually nonmakeup wearers) try to tie makeup with vanity or insecurity. If makeup were *just* about achieving perfection in the way we look, wouldn't we all just find a few looks that make us look our best and never stray from them?

 

[BlahWah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joytheobscure I have a sister in law who has a beautiful daughter and she really encourages her to dress sexy, have boyfriends and colored her hair at 8 - makeup at 7 or 8 - it just sickens me. Shes a fifth or sixth grader now. I just can't believe that she allows it...

My goodness, reminds me of that little girl in Mean Girls... I really hope your daughter becomes a good influence to her in the coming years. Kudos to you on being aware of these issues for your daughter and being a good influence on her!

 

[maxcat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shriekingviolet I always get a little annoyed when people (usually nonmakeup wearers) try to tie makeup with vanity or insecurity. If makeup were *just* about achieving perfection in the way we look, wouldn't we all just find a few looks that make us look our best and never stray from them?

I actually get completely annoyed and show it with those kinds of people. Like you - it's an artistic and creative outlet for me - and I like myself without it just fine, thank you very much. In fact, I look younger without it.

I had a so-called feminist years ago in university tear into me that my wearing makeup furthered the enslavement of women to a masculine ideal. I asked her if she felt that way about drag queens. Of course not was the reply... So if she wouldn't project that on to a man, why is it okay to project it on to a woman? Isn't that *sexist*???

And men!! The *best* is when you get into a relationship with a guy who thought you were hot with the makeup and now wants you to stop it because he "loves you natural" because he thinks he owns you.
Um, honey... I didn't do this for you, I'm still not doing it for you, I do it for me. And don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.

My husband bought me a traincase our first Xmas together...

 

[lost in hollywood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxcat And men!! The *best* is when you get into a relationship with a guy who thought you were hot with the makeup and now wants you to stop it because he "loves you natural" because he thinks he owns you. Um, honey... I didn't do this for you, I'm still not doing it for you, I do it for me. And don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.

lmao! i agree whole-heartedly.

 

[Shavwi]

I wear it for fun - I'm perfectly happy with my bare face, I just prefer to shake it up a bit and share my creativity. I always hate it when people (esp. guys) say to me "Why do you wear makeup - you're pretty" - People don't seem to understand that my applying makeup is not to look prettier, it is simply to have some fun. I think it is awesome that you stress that to your daughters

 

[lara]

I wear make-up because I enjoy it - it's a blend of art and science, my two favourite things.
I became a make-up artist because I like demystifying make-up and showing that it's only an addition to your natrual face, not a replacement. I also like being part of the fashion industry, because it's intensely rewarding to see all that stress, drama and hard work result in a beautiful picture of gorgeous clothes on a gorgeous model.
On the flip-side, I also became a make-up artist to help men and women get through a time of intense personal trauma (undergoing radiation/chemotherapy): if applying light make-up can help to give the illusion of healthy skin and that's what the patient needs to help them feel like they're really recovering inside and out, then I'm there to help show them how to do it. If a cute wig and bombshell lipstick is what you need to feel like your old self again, then we'll help you get kitted out.

But really, mostly it's just because I like wearing and experimenting with cosmetics, and I like being part of that secret cabal of 'mysterious women's business'

 

[bluegrassbabe]

It's just fun for me. No self-esteem issues here. I have good skin, and am not hideous au naturel, by any means. I enjoy the application and artistic expression of it. I have had an interest in makeup since I was aware that it existed. When I was very little I would watch my mom put her's on in the morning and beg to use it too. In fact, there is a picture of me, hysterical, on the morning of my first day of kindergarten. I was throwing a fit because my mom had deemed it inappropriate for me to wear eyeshadow in public at age 5. I guess I thought it would complete my cute little outfit, lol.
That said, I have no idea why people feel the need to comment on anothers look without being asked. People have critiqued my makeup in grocery stores and gas stations when I have worn some more colorful eyeshadows. I would never dream of going up to someone and telling them that they should invest in some concealor and lipstick.
Another thing that irks me is when women say that they don't need it because their husband/boyfriend loves them with or without it. Why in the world would you imply that someone else is unloved, or that persons SO would run away screaming if they saw you without makeup? Newsflash, My husband has seen me with/without makeup, sick, drunk, fat and thin, and he's still here, many years later.

 

[Shimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluegrassbabe Newsflash, My husband has seen me with/without makeup, sick, drunk, fat and thin, and he's still here, many years later.

Amen. Or man. whatever.

Mine doesn't care whether I wear makeup or not, as long as I'm happy.

 

[Arabella]

I started wearing make up when I was 14 years old and honestly, the reason I wore it was because I thought I was ugly. I was very shy and didn't have a lot of friends at school, so I thought that if I changed the way I looked, it would make people like me. So, I copied the way everyone else did their make up and clothes and it worked because I had more friends, the popular girls would tell me I looked pretty and guys asked me out. These days I wear make up for myself and do it the way I want to. I don't need everyone to tell me how pretty I look anymore. It took me over 10 years to get to this point, but I'm much happier with the way I look now.

I'm glad that some of you tell your daughters that you wear make up for fun and not because it makes you prettier. When I was little and asked my mother why she wore make up, she would say "because I'm ugly," even though she was very beautiful. Maybe if she didn't say things like that, I wouldn't have such low self esteem. Anyway, my point is don't criticize women who wear make up because of self esteem issues. It's not their fault that they feel that way.

 

[fairytale22]

I'm with most of you. For me it's like the reason I wear makeup is the same reason you wear different clothes every day. You don't wear the same shirt every day because you want to change things up, just for fun. I like to change my look up just for fun too.

 

[mzcelaneous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calbear I've always looked at makeup the same way I look at my tattoos/piercings - additional decoration for an already fabulous body ;-)

Cosmetics enhances beauty, it doesn't create it.

 

[hulagirl]

I wear makeup because it's a form of artistic expression. I can't draw, paint, or sculpt (at least not well), and makeup is my form of daily color therapy.

This is such a great comment. SO true. I had never thought of makeup as my form of artistic expression until you said this! It really is though...it's an opportunity for you to re-invent yourself, to play your look down or up....and to walk away from the mirror not only confident, but thinking..."DAMN, my eyes look SMOKIN'!"