Getting Personal: Am I Defined By The Makeup I Wear?

by - March 02, 2016


** I've got a bit of a different post for you today, one that' I've been willing to write for ages now. I hope you enjoy it! **

I often think about what makeup means and why we wear it. Why we enjoy wearing makeup, or feel like we have to. It is still somehow controversial, though makeup has been around for thousands of years and all cultures have been known to use it in some way or another. This is why I've decided to take these odd photos with half my face painted, and the other half as bare as could be. Do I have two different faces? Is one side worth more than the other? Which side is actually more like 'me'?

There are as many reasons to wear makeup as there are people who do. Today it is still a common thought that women (because a lot of people don't realise men can actually wear makeup too) use makeup to 1. be considered beautiful when they get out of the house, i.e. when they are subjected to the eye of others, and 2. as a strategy to please men (because who thinks about other sexualities than heterosexuality anyways!). I have heard so many cliché and misogynistic statements about makeup, and I'm sure we all have! Luckily, things are getting better each day as the blogging world gains visibility, and so does seeing makeup as a passion or activity that we do because we enjoy it. I am sure many of us beauty bloggers and readers of beauty blogs will agree that makeup is a creative outlet and a way to express ourselves by directly changing our appearance, just as fashion is, or tattoos are (in a more permanent way though!). 
Personally, I wear makeup because I love adding all these different colours and textures to my face. Weirdly enough, I don't feel less real when I wear makeup. I feel more depth in my features, more feeling and expression, because of the colours I choose to apply, the shape I give to my eyeliner or the lipstick I use to make my lips stand out.



Do we wear makeup because we feel insecure? I feel more confident when I have makeup on, it can make a big difference on how awake, how alive I look (have you noticed how colourless I am? God, I feel like a zombie sometimes!). Confidence can play a part, but it does not define you and how you express yourself through your look. People can't tell how good or bad you feel about yourself just from the makeup you wear, or from the fact that you don't wear any. That is purely and simply stereotyping and putting people in boxes.  Not all girls who wear red lipstick and fake eyelashes are dumb, and not all women who keep it natural are more respectable and 'real'. Even though half of my face is painted, doesn't mean that it's less worthy than the other. These both sides of me belong to the same individual, with all it embodies of character, spirit, strength and skill. And faults too. Makeup reflects creativity, it reflects skills that we pick along the way (not everybody can do eyeliner, right?!) and a style that we develop just as we develop a fashion sense or an identity. I shall not be defined by my makeup, I choose to express myself through makeup to highlight who I am and give way to my personality.


Do you wear makeup? If so, why? What are your thoughts on how makeup is seen today and how it affects how people see you?

Lots of love,
Julia x

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10 commentaires

  1. Everything you said - YES!!! Big major Yes!
    I couldn't agree more. I do wear make up sometimes, and sometimes I don't. Most often if I decide to wear something "pretty", I will also wear some make up - as I feel like it goes hand in hand. Days when I have the energy to do something with my clothes I also have the energy to do something with my face, and I regard it is a complete look. Make up is just an enhancement of my style. On other days when I wear jeans and a baggy jumper and am just so tired that I can't be bothered, I won't wear make up, because I don't feel like I want to.

    Oh and by the way. I think you look beautiful with and without make up! You're just gorgeous.
    Much love,
    Mona

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    1. Thanks so much Mona! I see what you mean about wearing makeup to complete a look. It's great because wearing makeup is down to whether you want it or not, and yes, there are some days when we just can't be bothered, as you said! Love it when there's no pressure on you to wear makeup, when sometimes unfortunately we can't do without it - in some specific jobs for example where you have to be put together all the time. Yay for the freedom to do what we want! :D xx

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  2. This is a different yet a great post! I wear makeup because I like trying new things, it is not because of turning myself into someone I am not but sometimes to boost up my confidence. It is my skin so no one should judge it. At least nowadays things are better. You can go out with full faced makeup and no one is really bothered. There are so many men wearing makeup, let's say mostly foundation to hide the imperfections (some of my friends did). You are beautiful with or without makeup! It is all about how we see ourselves, we shouldn't let anyone put us down.

    Ela BellaWorld

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    1. Thank you Ela, I'm glad you liked the post! Makeup makes us try new things it's true, and playing with one's appearance is always fun! "It is my skin so no one should judge it" -> preach! This sums up the whole idea. I also know men who wear foundation or concealer, and they're right to do so if they want their skin to look flawless! People who criticise men who wear makeup are downright sexist. We've got no time for that sh*t! ;) xx

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  3. Love it! You look beautiful :3


    Ana ♥
    http://aruivablog.blogspot.pt/ N/POST

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  4. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and I totally agree with everything you said. I also like to express myself through makeup and 90% of the time, I find makeup a fun hobby but sometimes, I find myself putting makeup onto my face even though I've not made plans, it's kind of 'just incase I need to rush out' and that makes me think that I feel like I MUST present only my makeup face to the world. I really like the point you made that explains that wearing makeup doesn't make you any more (or less) worthy.
    Great thought-provoking post, Julia!

    Ps. Sorry for the long and rambling comment, this is just something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Xx

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    1. Makeup is such an enjoyable thing to do, and it's true that sometimes we may feel like we have to wear makeup to look prettier, because you get noticed more and taken more seriously when you have nice skin and fluttery lashes. You don't need makeup to face the world, you are so much more than a pretty face and you can do so much, whether you have lipstick on or not! Our power should be our confidence, not the level of prettiness other people ascribe to us! :D xx

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  5. Makeup is such an enjoyable thing to do, and it's true that sometimes we may feel like we have to wear makeup to look prettier, because you get noticed more and taken more seriously when you have nice skin and fluttery lashes. You don't need makeup to face the world, you are so much more than a pretty face and you can do so much, whether you have lipstick on or not! Our power should be our confidence, not the level of prettiness other people ascribe to us! :D xx

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  6. Your eyeshadow is such a pretty shade!

    xx Kelly
    Sparkles and Shoes

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