The jury is out. In most magazines that you open up these days if there has often been a survey done on men regarding “who is hotter?”, the majority tend to go for the “more natural” look on women. Shows such as Snog, Marry, Avoid also advocate that less is best and that false eyelashes should be binned. Wrong.
I love wearing make-up. The main reason for this is that without it, I look ill. I live in Scotland, the sun rarely shows is face and most people who DO have that freshly sunned look either got it out of a bottle from Superdrug or from a booth in Tanz. This lack of sun means that naturally, unless I have just been on holiday, I am relatively pale. It’s unfortunate but there isn’t a lot I can do about it unless I do decide to opt for the blotchy-orange or leathery-skin look. No thanks on either counts.
I have a couple people in my life who tell me that I look good without make-up on. Of course one of these is my dad, who recently asked for at his 50th birthday meal if I could “not wear any make-up, you look better without any”. I can tell you now, there was no way I was going out without make-up on to his meal, especially as I was going to a party straight afterwards. My grandmother also holds the same view, but then again, she is my grandmother – it’s sort of a given. The other main person in my life who says that I don’t need it is a best friend of mine who doesn’t wear make-up herself. Good on her but that’s not for me. I think that ultimately it boils down to the fact that 1) I live in Scotland and 2) I don’t have bad skin but I do get blemishes and blotchyness so why would – when presented with the option of covering this up – I not take it?
To a girl, her choice of make-up is one that is very personal to her and I don’t think that guys really understand this at all. I have often heard that “your hair is your best accessory”, but I reckon that make-up is just as good at expressing your own style. There is a lot of make-up out there to achieve all sorts of looks, and if I had the skills I would probably try and go out most nights looking something like this (minus the corn rows):
I have had some guys I have dated making make-up ‘requests’. Things such as, “you look better without fake eyelashes on” or “can you wear red lipstick tonight” and so forth. Sometimes these things are fine, but its when some people seem to be constantly saying things like, “don’t wear make-up, you don’t need it” that it starts to get annoying. I know that these people are trying to be nice but ultimately it’s just frustrating. Guys especially don’t seem to get that some girls simply don’t feel comfortable in a social situation such as a restaurant or bar WITHOUT make-up on. I know that I feel slightly naked, I would feel about as comfortable as if you had asked me to whap my top off. Similarly if I were in a club with no make-up on I would be nowhere as near as confident as I usually am. This may seem sad, but there will be a lot of girls out there who I’m sure would say the same.
Put plainly, asking a girl to change the make-up she wears is almost like asking an emo to wear a Mr Happy t-shirt, chinos and boat shoes – they won’t feel comfortable and more importantly, they won’t feel like themselves.
That’s one of the main reasons that I hate Snog, Marry, Avoid. Asides from the fact that often they end up making the girl looking dull and badly dressed, they are taking away what makes them, them. Okay, yes, they are very often far over the top. But they are usually young, they are finding themselves and its part and parcel of growing up. Putting them in kitten heels and dyeing their hair mousey brown is going to make them feel alienated from their former self. And in most cases frankly – make them look shit.
Coming back then to why it is that guys like the ‘natural’ look, or why they think that they do anyway. For one thing using common sense, girls who feel comfortable not wearing make-up on a regular basis are possibly more likely to be the ones who DO have good skin and feel themselves without it on. Also, those adverts where models advertise face washes etc and look natural…guesses as to how much make-up it took to achieve this “natural” look in the the first place? In movies when actresses are just getting out of bed looking all natural, again, they are made up to look like this.
There seems to be a very distorted view as to what “natural” actually looks like. Probably from both girls and guys. I sometimes have to remind myself when I see these adverts and actresses who have seemingly just sprung out of bed looking gorgeous that they are probably wearing more make up than I wear on a night out.
I think that because of this distortion, guys THINK that they would like their girlfriend or dates to opt for a more “natural” look by possibly wearing little or no make-up. But in reality I think many would re-think this when they realise that even the “natural” look takes time and effort. Take this woman for example, the right-hand side shows her with no make-up at all, the left is what many would deem to be looking “natural”.
Which woman would you rather be sat next to in a bar?
Make-up can do a lot of things. Enhance natural looks. Create a different look altogether. Make a person more confident. Make somebody feel like someone else. I don’t see the problem with this. Bottom line: it’s not hurting anyone so where is the issue?
Of course there are those who take it too far and should rein it in a bit…
I have to admit that when your face matches the flower in your hair, you have gone wrong somewhere.
whygirlsarejustsomuchbetter 