Are You a Makeup Whore? It’s Time to Come Clean!
According to Urban Dictionary.com, a ‘Makeup Whore‘ is defined as:
Someone (usually a girl) who cannot walk out of the house unless they’re wearing makeup. The makeup must be excessive and very noticeable. Though it doesn’t necessarily have to look like a whore’s style of makeup, it can be anything from clown-looking, to goth, to preppy.
Admittedly, I fall well within the brackets of that category. My name is Star, and I’m a Makeup Whore. I feel uncomfortable without any makeup on in public and my self-consciousness increases depending on the setting. For example, at my job – although at a fashion magazine, is very casual – I’m wearing a tiny bit of concealer, powder and lip balm and feel mostly at ease. However, I would never say, go out for drinks with such a scarce amount of cosmetic enhancement. Truth be told, I don’t feel like myself without a full face on, and I certainly don’t have the confidence to act like my usual self either.
With carefully applied war-paint, I feel confident, stand up straight, look people in the eye and feel brave enough to share my wacky sense of humor with the unwitting masses. Barefaced, I retreat behind my over-sized sunglasses and avoid any and all human interaction, save the barrista at the Starbucks drive-through. My reticence to go au natural isn’t a huge, life-altering problem for me. I genuinely enjoy the art of makeup and have hoarded enough pots and tubes to last till after the apocalypse.
I do, however, wish that I could feel happy enough in my own skin to face any situation, social or not, just as god made me. My clutching dependence on makeup makes me feel superficial, petty and vain… not to mention utterly un-feminist – like some cloying relic of Stepford. And though I’m cozy enough with my (all female) coworkers to reveal pimples, sun damage and dark circles without much reservation when it came time for our annual team photo shoot, I spent a generous 2 hours fussing over my makeup and hair.
Vanity is my vice and I couldn’t even bring myself to take a makeup-free head shot to accompany this post! When I stumbled across Alexis Wolfer’s post on The Beauty Bean I was both intrigued and horrified by the so-called “Makeup Free Mondays” movement she has initiated. In the spirit of promoting a better body image to women who are constantly barraged with airbrushed images of stick-figures urging them to shed ten pounds, Wolfer says, “Self-confidence is more than just showing that your value is not determined by a number on a scale. It is also about showing your Real Beauty, how to healthfully treat your body and how to be comfortable in your own skin. That’s something I could get behind, in theory.
My hesitation was not alone and Wolfer went on to explain that ” It’s a bit intimidating at first (I’m sure we had the same thoughts you’re having: but I won’t look good, pretty, my best and more…) Well, we got over it, and, once we did, we realized how liberating, inspiring, and, needless to say, time-saving it can be!”
Luckily, you don’t have to take the full plunge to participate. The Beauty Bean maintains that it’s enough to scale back the routine to say, no blow-drying Mondays, or minimal makeup Mondays. I’m gonna give it a try, and see if I can’t muster the same confidence I display when primped and preened. I can’t say that I wont cover up any Vesuvius sized zits with a dab of concealer, but I will from now on devote every Monday to minimal makeup and maximum moxie. As part of the beauty/fashion industry I certainly don’t want to perpetuate the message that a woman’s worth is tied to her looks. We women need to send a clear message to the mass-media image powers that be: Beauty is not a consumer product!
