Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Respectful Makeup

As I mentioned beforehand, I am a recent convert to daily makeup. When I began to apply paint every morning, I could detect a change in people's attitudes. Their voices became more courteous, they gave me a wider berth on the sidewalk, I get called "ma'am—simply put, I get more respect.

As always, it turns out it's not in my head. 

Catherine St. Louis writes of studies that show that women who wear makeup—not much, even just a light dusting—are considered more competent in the workplace.

For those who protest that such a thing shouldn't be, of course not. But like many unfair quirks of our culture, that's how it is. Have you ever seen photos of celebrities sans cosmetics? It's not pretty. 
http://www.allure.com/beauty-trends/blogs/daily-beauty-reporter/todayshowmakeup_main.jpg
Today Show went bare, and the children cried in fear.
If I had known, I would have put on makeup for my college years; the professors would have treated me better. She never would have dared to give me that B. 

6 comments:

Elisheva said...

Unfortunately, you're right. I wish I could disagree and claim that women can look beautiful without a stitch of makeup, but I just don't think so. Once you see yourself all dolled up, there's no going back and accepting your natural face!

Mystery Woman said...

But somehow, people who never wear makeup have some natural color, and they can get away with it, while I can't. I wonder if there's something about always wearing makeup that does damage to your natural color.

Princess Lea said...

Elisheva: Once I picked up that lipstick in Sephora, I sold my soul.

MW: I think it's just what you are used to. Once you saw those same people with makeup on, you would think they looked really pale without. You have worn makeup, so you prefer yourself with makeup.

After I first started wearing makeup, I feel so bland without it. But I look no different as I did before.

iTripped said...

I never leave my house without makeup- at the very least I NEED concealer to cover the giant circles under my eyes. On the rare occasion that I've gone bare people asked me if I was sick. But I have some friends who look amazing without makeup… lucky for them.
The most important thing is to apply makeup that enhances and complements your face, because if it's applied incorrectly it can draw attention for the wrong reasons.

Yedid Nefesh said...

Woman can look beautiful without make up, but not everyone. I know a select few. However, it bothers me to see girls that cud be beautiful IF they applied even just a little bit of make up

Princess Lea said...

iTripped: I also have monster dark circles. Thank you, genetics. Concealer is da bomb.

YN: I know what you mean. I know this girl who is pretty stunning without a stitch on, but if she wore a LITTLE makeup she'd be unstoppable. And some, who are blah naturally, could be gorgeous with just a bit of this and that.