I, however, am on the other end of the spectrum. I have an affinity for makeup. Nothing makes me happier than discovering a new product. I live for taking home that little $15 box from MAC and pulling out a fresh tube of Ruby Woo matte retro red lipstick every few months. I love when my grandma talks to me about how her mother used to use the same loose powder that I do. I wake up two hours earlier just so I can take my time doing my makeup pretty much daily. I've perfected both the cat eye and the smokey eye. I can wing my gel liner like an absolute pro. I LOVE makeup.
Sadly, I've received a lot of backlash over the years. The comments have varied but all are equally ignorant. A person once told me that I looked like a French whore. Of course, I took that and ran with it and now my friends call me that all of the time, but still. Another man told me that I look like a clown. A few people have said that my signature red lip is gross because red is the color of period blood and I must have sucked on my own tampon. That one was pretty out there. Notice that I said a few. Yes, more than one person on different occasions told me that little gem.
Those are all so ridiculous that it's funny though. What really bothers me are the serious comments. Comments that are out of pure ignorance and meant to try and "raise me up." I get told that I am so pretty and I don't need all of that gunk on my face. I've been told that I shouldn't feel the need to impress anyone. I'm obviously high maintenance and that's unattractive. My favorite is when I'm told that I lack self confidence and should be comfortable in my own skin.
All of those comments are such bull shit. Pure, stinky, fly infested bull shit. Ask anyone that knows me and they'll tell you that I'm the most confident person they've ever met. I'm not overly confident, but I love everything about myself. My freckles, my mole on my forehead that makes me stand out, my mild case of Rosacea that gives me naturally pink cheeks, my boobs, my butt, my curves, my hair. All of it. All 5'9 and 285 lbs of it. I am unabashedly honest with myself and I know every inch of myself. I'm not going on a body positive rant, which I could go on and on about, but this is who I am. Why spend my time hating myself? That being said, my love of makeup has nothing to do whatsoever with my confidence. I feel just as confident in a t shirt and boxer pants curled up on the couch marathoning a show with my fiance than I do in a curve hugging outfit that shows off my tattoos, victory rolls in my hair and retro glam makeup on. It's not a confidence thing.
I'm so far from high maintenance it's ridiculous. My makeup is primarily E.L.F which is so cheap but so good, Maybelline and Rimmel with as few more high end pieces by Sephora and MAC thrown in and my Coty Airspun Loose Powder. All in all my makeup collection is all under $70 and it lasts me forever. Literally. MAC is highly pigmented and I buy one lipstick every 6 months at the most. My eyeliner, powder and foundation last about three months and as far as eye shadows I have a few pallets that I've had for a couple of years with a few untouched. I do my own eyelashes, my own hair coloring and cutting and I do my own nails. My entire beauty regimen for a year costs about $200 if you include hair products and dye. If I were high maintenance that is roughly how much one Brazilian blowout would cost. No makeup included.
So why do I wear makeup? Because it's an art. Life is art. Every thing around us is art. my face is a canvas and my makeup is my paint. If I want to look like an old Hollywood beauty, I can. If I want to look like a wood nymph, I can. If I want to look goth or punk for a day I can and I have. Maybe I get a wild hair and want something Kardashian inspired because let's face it, they are annoying as hell but they have the best makeup looks, I fucking can. Before someone out there says that this makes me fake and I'm not being myself, please chew on your words for a little while. This IS who I am. I'm not wearing a mask. I'm not changing who I am. It's inspired art.
This in no way mean that I'm better than or lesser than a woman choosing to go bare faced. This is just my choice. The same way that the woman from the article above asked that her decision be respected and that the hatred towards her choice not to wear makeup stop, I'm asking that you think before spewing hatred towards those that choose to wear makeup. We are all special and beautiful in our own ways. Being hateful is not beautiful in anyway. I am not my makeup. I am not lacking in self confidence. I am not fake and I certainly don't use menstrual blood as a cosmetic. I am, however, creative. I am beautiful. I am confident. I am loyal. I am funny. I am honest. These are all traits more important than my choice to wear makeup.
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