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A Reply to "4 Reasons You Should Stop Wearing Makeup Right Now"

I read this article call "4 Reasons You Should Stop Wearing Makeup Right Now", and I felt I had to write something after I finshed reading it. Here you go, the original article and the reply I wrote.

Oringinal

4 Reasons You Should Stop Wearing Makeup Right Now

1. Because it’s a façade.

We all grew up hearing the old mantra “honesty is the best policy” more than a few times. So why, somewhere along the line, did it become acceptable to ignore that? When women feel it’s necessary to plaster a pound of powder, cream, and other crap on their faces just to go out and take part in their everyday lives, it makes it seem as if they have something to hide. When you cheapen your own image by representing something other than your true self, your accountability goes down. By distancing yourself from your true appearance, you distance yourself from your feelings, personality, interests, and goals.

For example: say you love cake. If you wear a shirt every day that says “I love pie,” eventually you are going to stop explaining to people that you actually love cake because it gets tiresome. Makeup gives you an excuse to hide who you really are. It hides that beautiful woman who should be confident enough to show her face and smile without cosmetics concealing the marks on her face that every human has. Makeup isn’t attractive, it’s a lie, and lies are not sexy.

2. Because it’s a waste of time.

Everyone has their own routine to prepare for their day at work or school. Some people run, some people read the paper with a steaming mug of coffee, and most women take (at least) a few minutes to put on their makeup. Now, being a man, I’m not the most knowledgeable about foundation, blush, mascara, etc, etc. Basically, whenever women talk about makeup, I hear something similar to the monotonous “mweh mwahh mwehhh” of the teacher from the Charlie Brown cartoons. A man who understands the absurdity of concealants will look at those 10-15 minutes (or however long it takes you to put that infernal stuff on your beautiful face) and think about what you could be using that time to do instead. If you work/go to school five days a week, that’s roughly an hour you could spend expanding your vocabulary with a crossword, researching and applying for your dream job, or reconnecting with your partner via a little sexy ruckus. Whatever floats your boat. The point is that you’re wasting about two days each year doing something that genuine people couldn’t care less about.

3. Because social norms are stupid.

I’ve had this conversation with many of my female friends, and the most common thing I hear back is: (and cue the hyperbolic falsetto) “Well, makeup makes me feel better about myself.” Breaking news: it shouldn’t.

When you look at models or other public figures in magazines and say: “They’re so pretty,” you’re not talking about the women, you’re talking about the work of the photo editor who spent a few minutes trimming waistlines, toning arms, and enlarging breasts for the fabricated results you see in front of you. We’ve all seen the dozens of internet videos showing the process of making a photo billboard-ready, as well as a few kick-ass feminist journalists slamming our patriarchal society.

Take a moment to think about those and consider how utterly and undeniably correct they are. Now, if you wear makeup, remember this moment the next time you put it on. You probably won’t drop the face paint forever (although I obviously think you should), but maybe tone it down. If you render yourself unrecognizable under a sheet of plaster, the chauvinists win. And nobody wants that.

4. Because you’re better than that.

The next time something makes you feel insecure about the way you look, don’t use it as an excuse to look like Lady Gaga. Get mad! Get pissed! Don’t you think there’s something peculiar about someone or something that makes you want to change your appearance? Don’t let one person or group get you down just because they have a different expectation about how people should be presented. As sad as it is, women are still behind in our society. On average, they get paid less than men, and are less likely to ascend to a CEO position in any corporation.

Honestly, I think it’s because traditionalist views make people scared of powerful women. Sure, it can be emasculating to be shown up at anything. Men are competitive. We like to win. Throughout evolution and history, men have been stronger than women, usually resulting in them providing for their significant others. But that’s all history.

We have the technology and wealth now to throw all of that behind us. Women and men are exposed to public education all over the developed world. Don’t let yourself stoop so low as to cherish material things over your own ambitions and dreams.

Get your high school diploma. Go to college. Learn new skills. Get a job that you love. Read a book. Develop your own view and philosophy about life, about politics, about love. Be my senator. If you succumb to the idea that appearances are more important than what is in your head, and what is in your heart, you’re only holding yourself back. And you’re better than that. 

Source:

http://thoughtcatalog.com/reed-baker/2014/08/4-reasons-you-should-stop-wearing-makeup-right-now/

 

 

 

My Reply

To whoever wrote this article,

Whether or not to wear makeup, it’s a woman’s personal choice. As a man that knows nothing about makeup, you have no rights to tell women around the world to wear makeup or not. I could have just reply to this article with an “it’s none of your business”, but instead, I am going to write another whole article to prove why this one is wrong. 

Men like the writer of this article, on one hand claim that women should not be wearing makeup because they are naturally beautiful, on the other hand accuse women who choose to wear makeup being fake. If you think the outside look doesn’t matter at all, why would you get so offended when a woman choose to spice up her look once a while? The truth is that, men like you still treat women base on their looks, and felt cheated after seeing the real faces. If the look really doesn’t matter, then nobody should care about what a woman choose to put something on her face or not.

Talking about being fake, people like you insist that women, or men, put on makeup to hide their real faces, but the fact is that most people wear makeup to enhance their looks, not to hide anything. One’s makeup shows her (or his) personality. It’s just like having a nice hair style, taking the time to shave, exercising in the gym, or even taking the time to choose a nice outfit. It’s all about making the best effort to look good and be ourselves. If that’s still call being fake, then no one should be putting clothes on to be “real”. Seriously, let’s get one hundred percent “honest” in the summer.

Of course it takes some time to put on makeup, but so does everything else! Chances are if those 15 minute’s aren’t use in putting on some morning touch ups, they are going to be wasted on your cell phone and computers, or even on day dreaming.  Successful people make time to do somethings, rather than stop doing somethings to make time.

Yes, there are women wearing makeup because of social norm. In fact, maybe most of the women wear makeup because others wear makeup too. However, following the main stream is not necessary a bad thing. Most of us are just ordinary people one way or the other, following the main stream keep us save and accepted. I am not saying everyone has to follow the main stream, but if that makes one feel comfortable, what’s wrong doing that?

Wearing makeup or not is a personal choice, it does no harm either way and it shouldn’t even be an issue. Maybe men like you, the writer of this BS article, need to start respect women and stop telling women what to do. That’s what would really make a difference in this male dominated world. 

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  • A Reply to "4 Reasons You Should Stop Wearing Makeup Right Now"

    I read this article call "4 Reasons You Should Stop Wearing Makeup Right Now", and I felt I had to write something after I finshed reading it. Here you go, the original article and the reply I wrote.

    Oringinal

    4 Reasons You Should Stop Wearing Makeup Right Now

    1. Because it’s a façade.

    We all grew up hearing the old mantra “honesty is the best policy” more than a few times. So why, somewhere along the line, did it become acceptable to ignore that? When women feel it’s necessary to plaster a pound of powder, cream, and other crap on their faces just to go out and take part in their everyday lives, it makes it seem as if they have something to hide. When you cheapen your own image by representing something other than your true self, your accountability goes down. By distancing yourself from your true appearance, you distance yourself from your feelings, personality, interests, and goals.

    For example: say you love cake. If you wear a shirt every day that says “I love pie,” eventually you are going to stop explaining to people that you actually love cake because it gets tiresome. Makeup gives you an excuse to hide who you really are. It hides that beautiful woman who should be confident enough to show her face and smile without cosmetics concealing the marks on her face that every human has. Makeup isn’t attractive, it’s a lie, and lies are not sexy.

    2. Because it’s a waste of time.

    Everyone has their own routine to prepare for their day at work or school. Some people run, some people read the paper with a steaming mug of coffee, and most women take (at least) a few minutes to put on their makeup. Now, being a man, I’m not the most knowledgeable about foundation, blush, mascara, etc, etc. Basically, whenever women talk about makeup, I hear something similar to the monotonous “mweh mwahh mwehhh” of the teacher from the Charlie Brown cartoons. A man who understands the absurdity of concealants will look at those 10-15 minutes (or however long it takes you to put that infernal stuff on your beautiful face) and think about what you could be using that time to do instead. If you work/go to school five days a week, that’s roughly an hour you could spend expanding your vocabulary with a crossword, researching and applying for your dream job, or reconnecting with your partner via a little sexy ruckus. Whatever floats your boat. The point is that you’re wasting about two days each year doing something that genuine people couldn’t care less about.

    3. Because social norms are stupid.

    I’ve had this conversation with many of my female friends, and the most common thing I hear back is: (and cue the hyperbolic falsetto) “Well, makeup makes me feel better about myself.” Breaking news: it shouldn’t.

    When you look at models or other public figures in magazines and say: “They’re so pretty,” you’re not talking about the women, you’re talking about the work of the photo editor who spent a few minutes trimming waistlines, toning arms, and enlarging breasts for the fabricated results you see in front of you. We’ve all seen the dozens of internet videos showing the process of making a photo billboard-ready, as well as a few kick-ass feminist journalists slamming our patriarchal society.

    Take a moment to think about those and consider how utterly and undeniably correct they are. Now, if you wear makeup, remember this moment the next time you put it on. You probably won’t drop the face paint forever (although I obviously think you should), but maybe tone it down. If you render yourself unrecognizable under a sheet of plaster, the chauvinists win. And nobody wants that.

    4. Because you’re better than that.

    The next time something makes you feel insecure about the way you look, don’t use it as an excuse to look like Lady Gaga. Get mad! Get pissed! Don’t you think there’s something peculiar about someone or something that makes you want to change your appearance? Don’t let one person or group get you down just because they have a different expectation about how people should be presented. As sad as it is, women are still behind in our society. On average, they get paid less than men, and are less likely to ascend to a CEO position in any corporation.

    Honestly, I think it’s because traditionalist views make people scared of powerful women. Sure, it can be emasculating to be shown up at anything. Men are competitive. We like to win. Throughout evolution and history, men have been stronger than women, usually resulting in them providing for their significant others. But that’s all history.

    We have the technology and wealth now to throw all of that behind us. Women and men are exposed to public education all over the developed world. Don’t let yourself stoop so low as to cherish material things over your own ambitions and dreams.

    Get your high school diploma. Go to college. Learn new skills. Get a job that you love. Read a book. Develop your own view and philosophy about life, about politics, about love. Be my senator. If you succumb to the idea that appearances are more important than what is in your head, and what is in your heart, you’re only holding yourself back. And you’re better than that. 

    Source:

    http://thoughtcatalog.com/reed-baker/2014/08/4-reasons-you-should-stop-wearing-makeup-right-now/

     

     

     

    My Reply

    To whoever wrote this article,

    Whether or not to wear makeup, it’s a woman’s personal choice. As a man that knows nothing about makeup, you have no rights to tell women around the world to wear makeup or not. I could have just reply to this article with an “it’s none of your business”, but instead, I am going to write another whole article to prove why this one is wrong. 

    Men like the writer of this article, on one hand claim that women should not be wearing makeup because they are naturally beautiful, on the other hand accuse women who choose to wear makeup being fake. If you think the outside look doesn’t matter at all, why would you get so offended when a woman choose to spice up her look once a while? The truth is that, men like you still treat women base on their looks, and felt cheated after seeing the real faces. If the look really doesn’t matter, then nobody should care about what a woman choose to put something on her face or not.

    Talking about being fake, people like you insist that women, or men, put on makeup to hide their real faces, but the fact is that most people wear makeup to enhance their looks, not to hide anything. One’s makeup shows her (or his) personality. It’s just like having a nice hair style, taking the time to shave, exercising in the gym, or even taking the time to choose a nice outfit. It’s all about making the best effort to look good and be ourselves. If that’s still call being fake, then no one should be putting clothes on to be “real”. Seriously, let’s get one hundred percent “honest” in the summer.

    Of course it takes some time to put on makeup, but so does everything else! Chances are if those 15 minute’s aren’t use in putting on some morning touch ups, they are going to be wasted on your cell phone and computers, or even on day dreaming.  Successful people make time to do somethings, rather than stop doing somethings to make time.

    Yes, there are women wearing makeup because of social norm. In fact, maybe most of the women wear makeup because others wear makeup too. However, following the main stream is not necessary a bad thing. Most of us are just ordinary people one way or the other, following the main stream keep us save and accepted. I am not saying everyone has to follow the main stream, but if that makes one feel comfortable, what’s wrong doing that?

    Wearing makeup or not is a personal choice, it does no harm either way and it shouldn’t even be an issue. Maybe men like you, the writer of this BS article, need to start respect women and stop telling women what to do. That’s what would really make a difference in this male dominated world. 

    • A Reply to "6 Bold Reasons To Stop Wearing Makeup"

      I was asked to also read this article. Again, I wrote a reply.

      Original

      6 Bold Reasons To Stop Wearing Makeup

      Two years ago I’ve stopped wearing makeup. I didn’t do it to make a statement or with some other particular reason in mind. I just felt that I don’t need it anymore. I did not want to seem prettier than I am with glossy eye-shadows or hide my imperfections under a thick layer of creams and foundation.

      On the contrary, going all natural made me feel sexier and more self-confident.

      To all you girls that do love wearing makeup, I mean no disrespect. However, here are six reasons why you may want to go make-up free for at least a week.

      1. Your skin will thank you

      Even if you don’t realize it, most of the makeup you wear is toxic. Cosmetic products are not subjected to the same checks as food or medicine before being released to the mass market. It is the sole responsibility of the manufacturer to decided whether a product is safe to use or not.

      Unfortunately, a lot of them do contain harmful substances that get instantly absorbed by your skin. For instance, popular cosmetics ingredients such as sodium benzoate, propylene glycol and a number of other acids (not to mention parabens and carcinogens) cause allergic reactions on most skin types.

      Secondly, if you’d like to have the perfect blemish-free and glowing skin, covering it up with tons of foundation won’t help you with that. If you wear makeup all day, some of it will inevitably seep into your skin pores, causing them to enlarge and result in acne and blemishes.

      2. You will have more free time

      On average women in the US apply 17 beauty products before leaving the house and spend around an hour to get their looks together. Another studyshowed that women around the world waste 474 days of their lives applying makeup.

      Just think for a second how many amazing things you could do instead –learn a new language, have more incredible travel experiences or master photography.

      Once I stopped wearing makeup, I had one spare hour in the morning that I could either use to get extra sleep (which is delightful indeed) or turn into a productive activity like working on my blog or learning French.

      Is there’s something you always wanted to start doing but never had time for? Well, why don’t you do it in the morning instead of applying your makeup?

      3. You will learn to love your flaws

      Learning to love yourself and embrace your flaws is one of the biggest challenges everyone faces. At first, when you go makeup free, you’ll feel exposed. You are no longer hidden behind a fancy facade with all the pimples, freckles and other tiny defects you can’t tolerate disguised under a deep layer of powder.

      Do you want to know a secret? No one actually pays attention to your tiny imperfections except you! You should stop treating them like “flaws” and think of them as your “specialty.”

      4. You will be more at peace with yourself

      One of the most common things I hear from my girlfriends is that “Makeup makes me feel more beautiful.” The truth is – it shouldn’t!

      Last year Marc Jacobson models walked down the runway with no makeup; Cate Blanchett, Monica Bellucci, Eva Herzigova, Jessica Simpson and even Brad Pitt have been featured on top magazine covers with no makeup or Photoshop re-touсhing.

      You should not allow anyone to judge you solely by how you look (and ditch those people who do!) or allow someone to get you down just because they have a different idea about how people should be presented.

      Giving up makeup is just another small step towards making peace with your body image and your soul.

      5. You will start feeling more confident

      Unfortunately, applying mascara and eye shadows will not help you boost your self-esteem and confidence. Instead of covering up yourself, you should focus on loving your natural look and embracing yourself. Your confidence will skyrocket once you learn to accept yourself the way you are.

      I used to think that if I were to stop wearing makeup, I would be considered less attractive and date-able by the opposite sex. In reality, I met my significant other while tripping through the moist Indonesian jungles.

      He thought I was beautiful from the first moment he saw me hiking up the volcano – all sweaty and red-cheeked. He has kept telling me that I’m beautiful every day since then.

      Ditching the mindset that your self-confidence depends on your makeup, you will start building it up on the right principles: self-respect, positive attitude and competence

      6.  You will start appreciating life on a deeper level

       

      Embracing your natural look is the foundation of a life rooted in simplicity and in harmony with yourself.

      Chasing trends and fighting to comply with social norms and beauty standards is exhausting. So is spending a huge chunk of money on beauty products in hopes they would make you feel “prettier” and thus “better,” yet leaving you feeling devastated instead.

      Remember, your looks do not define who you are. You are better than this and you are beautiful the way you are!

      Going makeup free takes courage, but it’s a rewarding experience indeed.

      Source:

      http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/6-bold-reasons-stop-wearing-makeup.html

       

      Reply

      To the writer of this article,

      First of all, I appreciate the effort you have took to write the article. There is nothing wrong with being makeup free, but I do think there is a balance point between spending one hour each day on makeup and being an “anti-makeup warrior”.

      I agree makeups may not be the best thing for your body, but so does many other things. Bacon can cause cancer, should we stop eating bacon from now on? Sunscreen can cause cancer, are we going to get burned instead? Getting out under the sun can cause cancer, are we going to stay indoor all our life? Food preserves are bad for us, are we going to stop eating packaged food? Pesticide are bad for us too, are we going to stop eating vegetables from supermarkets? Cell phone, computer, car exhaust, candy, cow meat… those are all the things I can name in 30 seconds that start with a “C” and can be bad for us one way or the other. Are we going to banned all that? It’s all about the quantity. Put on full foundation on your face every day could be deadly to your skin, but some mineral powder won’t hurt anyone.

      Sure it takes time to do makeup, but your daily makeup should only take you about 10-15 minutes. If you are using one hour a day on makeup, you are probably putting up too much. People should learn to find a balance point, instead going one way or the other.  

      If you have something you really want to do, and you haven’t start yet, stop wearing makeup probably won’t help you. Maybe consider about spend less time on the internet and plan your schedule better. For people who are not good at time management, the time saved by not wearing makeup probably would easily be wasted on Instagram or Tumblr.

      Yes, there are social norms. But what’s wrong following them when we are comfortable with them? No matter how unique each of us is, we are quite similar compare to other things on this earth. We are social animals and most of us enjoy being similar to others.

      I agree that it would be beautiful to see someone hike up the volcano, but the reality is that no one is going hike up the volcano on a normal movie date. Our daily life is not that excited, that’s why some little touch would make our ordinary life lively.   

      Wearing makeup doesn’t mean we are less confidant, hate our flaws, or have no inside. It just mean we take the effort to enhance our look. It’s nothing more special then choosing a fancy outfit or having a nice haircut. We need to accept ourselves, but we also need to keep improving ourselves. We go exercise in the gym, we learn a new language, and we wear makeup. We do those things out of one same reason, which is to challenge ourselves to be the best we can be.

    • This whole anti-makeup campaign basically roots in this premise: +1

      Women are wearing makeup because they’re FORCED to do so due to various reasons, e.g. social norms, etc. So the first question for female readers would be “is that true”?

      If that’s the case, just say so, being defensive doesn’t always score extra points.

      On the other hand, if you’re one of those women that simply just happen to LIKE to wear makeup, I guess it doesn’t hurt to read through the benefits of makeup free, just in case you might change your mind after weighing in the pros and cons, if not, so be it.