Wednesday 29 October 2014

• Make up. What's it all about, anyway? •

I recently had a very interesting conversation with 
a male friend of mine who asked me why girls
 wear make up to impress boys when boys don't
 really like girls to wear make up.

And, to begin with, there are so many 
things wrong with that question already.

Now, I have his permission to write out the argument on here, but as the conversation went on for about an hour and a half (and I can't remember word for word what we both said), most of this will be done by memory. The general gist of it is this; (male friend) "girls wear make up to impress boys" (me) "girls wear make up for themselves". But for the sake of giving a balanced argument, I will attempt to write it out in a more interesting, holistic, coherent way for you. Please note: I don't mean to offend anyone, these are just my opinions so please don't feel like you have to agree with me and please don't feel like I speak for everyone - this is just how I feel.

Why I wear make up
I've mentioned on here before that from about the age of 14, I was very interested in make up. Looking back, however, I was interested in it for all of the wrong reasons (in my opinion). I used to wear it to cover up my acne and yes, to attract and impress boys. Yet, I was a child, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who caked their face in Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse and eyes in black kohl liner. I was inexperienced, young and, unfortunately, brow-less (I'm sure people didn't start filling in their brows til at least 2006? Am I wrong? I'm probably wrong... but as a teen, I was never into it, and never noticed other people's fuller brows either!) Now I'm more confident, have grown into myself a bit more and I've learnt how to do my make up to suit my face shape and tone, I wear make up for me. I wear it because it makes me feel more confident, put together, 'finished off' and so that, basically, I feel nice. I literally love the ritual of putting it on in the morning, creating a mental to-do list in my head for the things I have to get on with for the day, and I love the concentration that goes into it all. I feel so relaxed when I'm doing my make up and I always look forward to it! Make up might not mean to you what it does to me, and everyone can have their own reasons for wearing it, and I'm not saying my reasons are right, but they are my reasons nonetheless.

The 'girls wear make up to impress boys' debate
My boyfriend comments on my appearance when I wear make up, and he comments on my appearance when I don't wear make up. This then tells me that he doesn't mind whether I do or I don't. And in turn this tells me that whether I wear make up or not, he won't be any more or any less impressed. So I wear make up to please myself and because I think I look nice with it on. My male friend was telling me that girls wear it purely to attract members of the opposite or same sex struck a chord with me and actually offended me. Why is everything centred around finding a boyfriend/girlfriend these days? Why is everyone so focussed on trying to please and attract potential lovers? Why can't we wear make up, do our hair properly and dress nice just so we feel a little better about ourselves? I personally have been on a night out wearing no make up at all, my hair in a bun and (God forbid) jeans and flats on, and did I feel like my night was any less fun than the other people I was with? No, not at all. People are so set on trying to attract other people that even applying make up is seen as provocative.

Beauty bloggers' lives evolve around make up!
My instagram is filled with photos of make up and selfies showing different make up looks, this is on my 'news feed' screen and also on the photos that I myself add. And so what? What the hell has it got to do with anyone else? If you don't want to see these photos, then don't follow me or any of the people that I follow. If you don't want me to tweet that I've just bought a new lipstick, then unfollow me. My friend was telling me that people become obsessed with make up and that it takes over their social media, and I told him that it's because we enjoy make up and it's a hobby, just as much as golfing or swimming is a hobby to other people. But do you judge someone who has photos of new golf clubs or new swimming trunks on their instagram? No. So how can you judge someone that has photos of the perfect winged liner or a lipstick dupe? This confuses me, honestly. I like the look of make up and packaging, so I pop it into my instagram. My life does not evolve around make up, and I don't think that checking someones social media can even tell you what their life evolves around, it just tells you what they're interested in at that certain point in time.

To end this rambly, honest and perhaps controversial post, I'm asking you if you agree or disagree with me. I'm curious, really, as to other people's opinions or if it's just me that thinks these things. I'm not crushing anyone, I'm not saying I disagree with every point my friend made, but I did disagree with the majority.

Let me know your thoughts!
I hope that post wasn't too deep for you. And if it was, to lighten the mood...
Daniela xo
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5 comments :

  1. Agree with all of this! I wear make up because I enjoy the whole routine of applying it, that's all. I'm just as comfortable not wearing any because who cares what people think anyway. Great post!
    www.speckledbeautyblog.blogspot.co.uk
    xx

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  2. I definitely agree with this! I wear makeup because it makes me feel confident and happy. I mean, SOMETIMES I wear it to impress boys, but that's not what it's all about. Most of the time, its because I enjoy wearing makeup! Love this post!
    Eden xx / edenroses

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  3. I honestly really appreciate what you did by sharing your friend's opinion and yours. It definitely shows people a point of view that I personally share and think is important. Makeup, as you said, is like any other hobby and passion so it has no other intention beside make us feel good about ourselves or what we enjoy doing. I love makeup as much as I love many other things and if the other things are not considered a way/tool to impress anyone why would makeup be on that category?
    Loved this post! xx

    http://www.youtube.com/user/MidnightViolets?feature=mhee

    ReplyDelete
  4. My boyfriend told me when we were dating that he loves it that I don't wear make up to 80% of my freetime. But after he saw many other girls and girlfriends of his friends with make up he keeps asking me why I don't wear make up often and don't make myself look beautiful for him. Why I only wear make up when he's not there (Actually I just use eye make up). You want to impress other guys? I was like 'excuse me? - I wear make up when I like to and not to impress other.' And when he's not there I have more free time to put on eye make up haha.

    http://marygolife.blogspot.com

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  5. had the exact same conversation with my new male flatmate at uni and he too thought girls only wear make up to attract guys and I got so heated about it. I wear make up because it's a way for me to express my art and creativity as i do science degree and miss doing art so it's just something i find fun. And i totally agree that the process of putting on make up is so relaxing. My boyfriend prefers me without make up but doesnt care that i wear it because he knows that i enjoy putting it on. Gosh it makes me so mad that some people think girls wear make up to attract guys, no we flipping don't!! I completely agree with your post

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